Albion Alumni

“Throughout my years of playing soccer, it has pushed me to become a better athlete, leader, and student. I am so grateful for the opportunities that ALBION has provided me. ALBION has shaped my core values that I take pride in every single day. As I continue on to play Division 1 soccer in the fall at the University of Detroit Mercy, I will continue to use all the qualities that ALBION has taught me. I am so thankful and blessed to of had the privilege to play and compete at such a soccer club. Thank you to ALBION Soccer Club and ALBION 12 Foundation.” – Grace Brutto

“I joined ALBION SC when I was 11 years old. Right away I felt as though the coaches really care and prioritized my development, and this allowed me to push myself to improve every day. Every coach I was able to work with influenced me not only as a player, but as a person as well.
I have nothing but exceptional memories during my time at ALBION, and I know I can always count on the support of everyone at the club throughout my career. I feel very fortunate to have the career I had at ALBION, and I look forward to representing this club at the highest level.” – Arman Samimi

“”ALBION SC shaped my life for the last 11 years and I couldn’t be more thankful. From my very first session, I knew that the team, coach, and club would be the perfect fit. I am truly thankful for everything that Noah and ALBION have done to shape me as a player, person, and now as a coach within the club. I have the opportunity now as a coach at ALBION San Diego to guide players through the amazing journey that I myself experienced.” – Garrett Franklin

“I played at ALBION SC from the time that I was 11 until my final year of high school. Throughout my years, I feel as though I have grown as both a player and a person. ALBION allowed me to meet so many wonderful friends that were apart of my life on and off the field, and the competitive atmosphere and coaching I received undoubtedly helped get me to be the player I am today. I am now heading into my first year of playing soccer at Point Loma Nazarene University.” – Naomi Ellis

“ALBION SC has been a very big part of my life, I have played for ALBION since I was about 6 or 7 and I’m 18 now so I’ve been playing with them for about 11-12 years! They have taught me how to persevere in the toughest times and they helped me understand how to create bonds and work with a team. I also made some of the best and strongest friendships that I’ll ever have.
One of my best memories is when my team went to Colorado to play and it started snowing on one of our team outings and everyone was playing in the snow and throwing it at each other. The game was even better, our team had one of our best performances the game. It was a really great time.
The best thing that’s happened during my time here is the women’s team. I would constantly ask Ziggy when there would be a semi-pro women’s team. When they made an actual women’s team I was so excited! I was so grateful that coach Elo saw something in me and allowed me to be on the team. Playing with all those amazing players was one of the best times in my life. I really loved that I was able to say that I’ve been at ALBION this long and I made it to the ultimate top team for this club. Overall my ALBION experience was more than what I could have ever asked for!
Currently, I am going to be playing at Cal State San Marcos for these next four years and I am very excited. I am also currently working as a babysitter and I have a job as an administrative assistant for my uncles’ company. I also want to once again thank ALBION for everything that it has done and provided for me.” – Jeryn Young

Senior Software Engineers
Laurel Road Labs
San Diego

“Playing for ALBION SC I created the following traits that I have in my life now:

• Ability to focus.
• Ability to work with others and communicate.
• Confidence.
• Mentally push through challenging situations without breaking down. This I feel is a huge one. Being able to process emotions and control reactions is very valuable in almost everything I do now.
• Manage multiple things at once.
• Ability to assess situations and evaluate the best strategy (for example driving in traffic and planning how to get from the fast lane to an exit).
• Learned to take direction and be coachable.
• Understanding that even when you are losing there is always a way to come back and persistence pays off. Even if it doesn’t pay off, you never give up.
• Compound effect. The more you train the better you get the better results you will see.
• How to support your team and “watch their backs”.
– Jeremiah Bunton

Played for ALBION from age 8 to 18.

“My name is Blair Lane and I am 21 years old! I played with ALBION SC from age 8 to age 18. What ALBION contributed to me as a player is EVERYTHING! I was developed into a complete player throughout my experience there and that is what eventually led me to get a scholarship to play college! I had a very successful college career as well. From most career minutes, leading scorer from a defensive role, and eventually a team captain. I also was eventually able to play one year of professional soccer in Mexico where I debuted at age 21!
Now, I am actively recovering from an ACL & meniscus surgery. I decided to come back to the states for one year to focus on my recovery, begin my coaching experience, and finish my last year of college.
I am, along with many others, a product of ALBION youth program. I am beyond thankful for the strong foundation instilled in me as a player and also for the coaching staff who not only developed me as a player but also gave me a strong foundation on being a disciplined, responsible, and mentally strong athlete.
Thank you, ALBION, for making dreams possible!” – Blair Lane

Played for ALBION during. 2001-2013

Now in Real Estate Management

“One of the things that I find that ALBION helped me with, that I use in my day to day approach to life, is to work on fundamentals. Everyone wants the end result of success, but rarely do they know how to get there. ALBION drills the basics of skill moves, passing, shooting and everything else that you need to succeed in the game. It is this attention to the details and foundational aspects of soccer that taught me doing the small things well, over and over, compound into a well rounded path to success. Whether you’re playing soccer, developing a business, or just want to pick up a new hobby, this principle of focusing on the parts that make up the whole helps me in all of my endeavors.” – Noah Bunton

Caelle McKeveney
Currently attending
USD School of Law

“There are so many skills that are cultivated during soccer practice and games that are not only keys to success on the field but become directly applicable to your life outside the game.  ALBION made me aware that in order to see results with my soccer skills, I had to be diligent in putting in the time and effort to train even when it felt easier to not do so.  The discipline that comes with that mentality has been invaluable to me as it continues to push me in my academic and professional life. I learned to juggle a soccer ball and to juggle all the responsibilities I had. That discipline, work ethic, and time management carried over to my studies and I was able to graduate from UC Berkeley with a degree in biology and I am now attending USD’s School of Law on scholarship with an interest in bioethics, patent law, and environmental law. The coaches and staff at ALBION not only preached a winning mentality but always took the time and energy to make sure my fellow teammates and I were equipped with the resources, training, and support to develop the skills necessary to win, as an individual and as a team, on and off the field. Not only did ALBION teach me how to work hard but it let me learn while having a lot of fun! The friendship, travel, and love of the game made the challenging effort so much more enjoyable.  The list of lessons I learned from playing soccer at ALBION could go on and on. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to grow in that excellent environment and even more appreciative everyone at ALBION made sure those skills were developed for a lifetime.” – Caelle McKaveney