The History of the Celtic Soccer League

...esprit de corps, humility in victory, sportsmanship in defeat. Learn from our mistakes, make no excuses, and move on. Good effort and integrity are paramount.

Matt McDonagh founded the Celtic Soccer League in 1979. He gave careful consideration to the naming of the organization for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that the name itself should reflect the geographical location, historical background, time, intentions, motivations, and inspiration of its moniker. Matt appreciates the father and founder of the legendary and world renowned professional Glasgow Celtic F.C. Andrew Kerins.

Andrew Kerins was born in Ballymote, County Sligo, May 18th, 1840. Mr. Kerins experienced and survived the horrific “potato famine” of 1846 when half the population of Ireland died from starvation, while potatoes were being shipped to England by the thousands of tons. Andrew joined the Sligo Marist Catholic Christian Brothers in 1864 at the age of 24. The Marist Christian Brothers were a religious order devoted to the welfare of poor people. Andrew took the religious name Brother Walfrid upon entering the Christian brotherhood. 1887 was a historical year in Brother Walfrid’s life. He was ordered to immigrate and assigned duties in the poorest neighborhoods of Glasgow, which is the largest city in Scotland. Brother Walfrid looked around upon arrival and immediately realized it was going to take an Irishman to solve this Scottish problem.

Football (soccer) became very popular in the British Isles around 1879, so Brother Walfrid did what Sligonian’s do as second nature. Brother Walfrid rolled up his sleeves, used his imagination, and proceeded to organize the local Glaswegian uneducated, albeit well meaning unfortunates; a people he enjoyed, appreciated and grew to love. However, Irish culture and nationalistic fighting spirit being what they are (probably because of the tyrant himself, Oliver Cromwell, massacring so many innocent, unarmed Irish men, women, and children in the 1620 to 1630 period--13,000 were murdered in Drogheda alone, a small quaint city outside Dublin in 1624) was more than likely his motivation for selecting a name of such Irish significance on Great Britain soil “Celtic,” and a uniform jersey of Irish imagery. “Green and white horizontal 3 inch hoops,” white shorts and white socks, which the team togs out in to this very day.

From an Irishman’s perspective and Brother Walfrid’s disenfranchised army of “Scots in the Hood”. The Irish three leaf Shamrock and the Scottish four leaf Clover were the perfect Cinderella glass shoe fit, poor people in the “hood,” now felt good about themselves, raised money, moved forward, dreamt of what could be and acted accordingly.

A new attitude enthusiastically scored new “Celtic” goals, pardon the pun, and took on the pompous and virulently despised Cromwellian Glasgow Rangers, whose view of Catholics was always “down the nose.” Rangers, of course, resided in the protestants only, smug, hoity-toity section of uptown Glasgow

Matt McDonagh immigrated to California from County Sligo on the Queen Mary at 18 years of age, sailing by the Statue of liberty at 2:08 PM on Sunday, August 28, 1960. “The moment in time of his life.” Matt’s father, Joe McDonagh, held a community Sports Festival every summer on one of his meadows in County Sligo, 8 miles from Brother Walfrid’s native Ballymote. Joe started his annual festival after World War II. This sports festival of competitive fun consisted of Gaelic football, Tug-o-war, Hundred-yard- dash, and a plethora of other events that were refereed by the local parish priest, Father O’Casey and his curates. Competitors didn’t usually argue with the priest unless Arthur Guinness had been consumed disproportionately to the contest at hand and or the heat of the moment. Father O’ Casey was known to motivate some of the tug-o-war heavers on occasion through “divine intervention” if he thought the odd puller wasn’t heaving enough for his team. Father O’Casey loved tug-o-war! Matt tells this story as an example of life repeating itself.

Matt formed a community soccer team in 1979 of boys all born in 1968. He had no intention of assembling a “soccer club” until rogue coaches started liking his players better than their own. Poaching was a word, naïve Matt learned the definition of the "hard way", "Fighting Irish” was a term said poaching coaches came to appreciate the "hard way". Matt decided to participate in this game of “Cloak and Dagger”, since it was legal. When the dust settled two established clubs perished from Celtic asphyxiation, both are feeding worms and fertilizing the emerald grounds at Celtic Park to this very day. St. Peter is lightly spraying W. D. 40 on the hinges of the Golden Gate for the poacher's sheepish entrance. While Fr. O' Casey is probably performing extreme unction, and asking St. Patrick to say a few words of sympathy in their behalf for a timely "A.S.A.P." release from Purgatory for their venal soccer sins.

Matt appreciates from experience the fatality of underestimating startups. Matt added new teams to his club and formed a Board of Directors. He held club meetings at his home in Upland every month for 14 years, until his wife moved them out; the meetings were moved to Upland High School where they still continue. Matt is organizing and promoting the production of an Ontario,

Brother Walfrid's dream still lives on 113+ year's later and 6,000,000+ miles away in a new land with a soccer friendly climate. Participants in the Celtic Cup might challenge the claim of a warmer climate, especially in January and March when the rains and cold come howling on the odd occasion. Normally it’s 80 degrees, however, the Celtic Cup continues, rain, wind, or cold, allowing young soccer players (male and female) to deal with adversity and trudge through the experience. 99% of young participants enjoy playing soccer in sludge and rain, such occasions allow for more good fun than match points.

Celtic Cup 1, the crème de la crème of them all commenced in March of 1984 and was played in a downpour never experienced since of before. Noah's Ark probably came close. It was an opportunity to deal with adversity in its truest form. Muddy automobile Interior's, hot nourishment, and a very quick change of clothes was the order of the day for that Celtic Cup. None of the participants will ever forget it! That 1984 Celtic Cup was the most enjoyable!

Celtic has a history of community involvement in So. Cal. 50% + of the boys competing for Celtic are from the Hispanic community and the local Mexican leagues where "Compadres" are apt to find “Senor Mateo,” incognito, under some bush, scouting players for -some/any- Celtic team. Mateo is blessed with “Muchos amigos comen comida la tina.”

Celtic coaches have all played at various levels of soccer. Some are professional trainers. Celtic has a professional goalkeeper trainer on staff that is financially compensated by the club. Celtic field costs are all addressed at no cost to any Celtic team. Celtic boundary lines are Mount Baldy to the Sea, Celtic was the first club to compete in the Coast Soccer League from outside the old boundary lines in 1985. Neighboring clubs all followed suit shortly after that. All Celtic teams now compete in the Coast Soccer League and are usually at or near the top of their divisions (CoastSoccer.Com). Celtic invents ways to help players that can’t afford expenses. Celtic focuses on finding players that can play…not pay. Celtic is primarily a boy's club, although it enjoys the participation of girls teams which cost a fraction of what some are now naively paying elsewhere. Girls that compete are still mostly from the affluent suburbs where $$$$ is not a problem, parental support is abundant and $$$$ coaches coach. Willie Sutton went to the bank!

In the recent past this “Celtic” club has had good fortune placing four players from one of its boy’s teams on the United States National team. They were under 17 years old and at the time. "Celtic" was the only club in the entire country to place 4 players from the same team on the U.S.A. National team. Three players from another Celtic team were also selected to the National team under 15 years of age. Down through the years, many Celtic players have been selected to other U.S. National teams. Seven of 36 national team players from 2 teams were exclusively Celtic. This is a record we are proud of. Celtic players are also prominent competitors on university, M.L.S. European, and United States Olympic teams. Every player from the Western United States presently in Major League Soccer, Women's Professional League, Women’s United States World Cup championship and Olympic teams have competed many times in the Celtic Cup. Marcello Balboa, won the initial Celtic Cup on a team coached by Tad Boback in 1984.

United States university and college soccer coaches from Boston to Berkley and South Bend to South Central with serious soccer programs attend the Celtic Cup scouting players. UCLA is a good example of Celtic Cup prominence with its treasure trove of Celtic Cup participants, male and female. 10,000+ competitors from 8 to 19 years old participate in the Celtic Cup annually, this makes Celtic Cup one of the (3) largest soccer tournaments in the entire world.

The Celtic web site receives over 200,000 visits checking scores during the tournaments because all scores are up on the web site every hour. Teams not participating in the tournaments are also keen to see how teams they are familiar with are fairing. Premier high school players male and female compete in the Celtic Cup. Realizing the aforementioned college coaches are in attendance and making decisions about selecting players discussing scholarships, examining G. P. A' S. and college adaptability.

Referee fees, trophies, medals, pins, and field rental costs for Celtic tournaments exceed $200,000 per year. Sport Pins Co. (Connie Bivens) has been medal and pin provider since 1984. The Shamrock Bowl and Celtic Cup Pro/Am are two tournaments in their infancy with wonderful potential, because at “Celtic” the challenge of making ideas become reality is tenaciously pursued.

Celtic spirit! With the “teams” we field, "the odd draw is understood," everyone has the once-in-a-lifetime day of profound hard luck. Celtic discovered that winning is more fun than losing, good luck comes to those who prepare.

Celtic sympathetically explains to opposing losing teams that whine, make excuses and or complain after a good battle “it could be worse, it could be us”. Any Celtic team that goes down to defeat, does so in a hail of G. F. & G. to the last player and or coach, no matter the score, no excuses. Not fighting the good fight on the pitch for any Celtic participant is sacrilegious. Many Celtic teams down through the years have played 7 versus 18 rather than forfeit. Soccer is theoretically a non-contact sport. Sideline to sideline squabbles, disagreements and arguments are the stuff of moment-to-moment excitement, glee or disappointment, depending on a number of factors, such as the score, luck, and the opinions of soccer's proverbial leprechauns and friends, the dreaded " 3 blind mice".

Disrespect for referee’s authority at Celtic is addressed continually. Repeat offenders find themselves formally addressing said issue with guidelines and probationary dictates imposed. Development of player and team discipline in a sporting manner is a priority. Team tryouts for all players every year gives everyone a fresh start. All players receive a copy of club by-laws, and any player requesting a release from his/her team is honored immediately without inquisition or comment.

Celtic advises players regularly that the consequences of bad grades are profound. Sigi Schmid, former U.C.L.A. and now Los Angeles Galaxy coach who was coaching consultant at Celtic years ago had a belief that the importance of good grades, good skills, and good attitude defined the player. Sigi's theme was simple "If you’re not in motion you’re not playing". Octavio Zambrano, former Los Angeles Galaxy coach, and now New York - New Jersey - Metro Stars coach coached the 1978 birth year Celtic team for years. Celtic always appreciated Octavio's expertise and support. Both coaches have coaching resumes that speak volumes for themselves and their well Documented accomplishments. Young Kevin Stock learned the art and science of refereeing for years at Celtic Park. Kevin is now America's preeminent Referee and can be seen frequently on television refereeing M.L.S. matches. Kevin is a fifth grade teacher in Ontario and has stated to Matt on numerous occasions that his school teaching profession is his first love with refereeing a distant second. His school children are lucky! Ken Shinedling has been the Celtic Cup director and club treasurer since 1984. John Velasco is the club Vice President, Lisa Johnson is registrar, Sara Saldana is administrator, Ron Brownson is risk management and legal council. Anna Brownson is secretary. Extraordinaire.

Celtic practices responsibility and integrity, which is why we immediately called all V.I.P.’s at C.Y.S.A. and C.S.L. (letting the chips fall where they may) when it was discovered that we had two players on one of our teams some years ago that were overage.

“The reputation of a 1,000 years may be determined by the actions of 1 hour”

California's Original Celtic Players

Todd McDonagh, Steve Taylor, Mike Tello and Sean McGonegle.