Tony Johnson

Grew up in Erwin, NC and learned to play soccer at Buies Creek HS. He played collegiate soccer at UNC Chapel Hill where he was named All-Atlantic Coast Conference for four consecutive seasons. Twice named All-South. Set the all-time scoring record at UNC. Played outdoors professionally in the American Soccer League and the United Soccer League, as well as indoors in both the American Indoor Soccer Association and the Continental Indoor Soccer League. Pro soccer took him to Houston, TX, here he makes his home and is highly involved in youth soccer in South Texas. A Region III Staff Coach, he has served as Director of Training for the Hurricanes Soccer Club.

High School Buies Creek HS (1975-77), Harnett Central HS (1977-79) All-Conference 4 years; All-Regional 4 years; All-State 4 years Senior Year (1978-79): Voted Best Player in Eastern North Carolina Senior Year (1978-79): Runner-up, North Carolina Player of the Year High School Coach: Barry Howard

College BA, UNC-CH, 1983, Major: Communications (RTVMP); 4 years on Men’s Varsity Soccer All-Atlantic Coast Conference (4 years) All-South (2 years) Set All Time Scoring Record at UNC-CH College Coach: Anson Dorrance

Amateur 1984 Olympic Sports Festival Player on South Team, Winner of the Gold Medal All Tournament Team as Center Fullback

Professional 1983: Pennsylvania Stoners (American Soccer League – ASL) Voted Most Valuable Forward; selected Most Valuable Player by local press Runner-up, ASL Rookie of the Year Stoners were finalists in the ASL championship against Jacksonville 1984: New York Arrows (Major Indoor Soccer League MISL) Houston Dynamos (United Soccer League USL) USL All Star game, 1984 Dynamos were finalists in the USL championship against Fort Lauderdale Suns 1985-1986: Columbus Capitals (American Indoor Soccer Association AISA) 1985, Top Five in Scoring with 40 goals, 38 assists 1986: Memphis Storm (AISA) 1988-1989: Houston Express (Continental Indoor Soccer League CISL)

Career Summary: Born in Erwin, North Carolina, in 1961. Tony started playing soccer in the ninth grade at the urging of his older brother, Arthur, Jr., and trained six days a week during grades 9 through 12, leading to numerous awards during his high school, college and professional playing career. He has continued to contribute to the soccer community as a USSF “A” licensed coach, as a Region III (South) ODP staff coach and as Director of Training for the Hurricanes Soccer Club, a nationally known youth soccer club in Houston, Texas.

Comments from players who were coached by Tony or who watched him play: always put a lot of energy and enthusiasm into his coaching; a very positive person; great at demonstrating technique; made it look “do-able” and easy; made playing soccer really fun; when teaching shooting technique, always said “act is if you’re walking through a cave;” watched him score his first goal as a professional, coming as a substitute off the bench in a game in Charlotte’s Memorial Stadium against the Carolina Lightning.