Former La Liga pro joins San Jacinto College soccer staff as volunteer assistant coach

Jeannie Peng-Armao - 8/10/2009 Iñaki Eraña Cassi

HOUSTON – Iñaki Eraña Cassi of Spain joins the San Jacinto College men's soccer team this season as volunteer assistant coach, bringing with him 12 years of experience with La Liga, one of the world's most successful professional soccer leagues.

Hailing from a country with teams well regarded for their superb technical ability on the field, Eraña said he hopes to instill the same concepts in the San Jac soccer players by training them more on the individual level and combining their physicality with tactical instruction.

"I want to show the players the European way of soccer, our techniques," Eraña said. "We demand a lot of technical and tactical practice. I know David (SJC Head Coach Dr. David Santesteban) has the goal of going to the championship again this year, and I plan to help him do that."

Eraña first entered the professional futbol circuit in 1983 playing for Sporting Atlético. From 1986 to 1999 he played for La Liga teams Recreativa de Huelva, Real Sporting de Gijón, Real Murcia, Logroñes, Compostela and Extremadura. After taking a short break, Eraña became a licensed coach to teach competitive soccer.

He has played more than 240 games in First Division and served as a level-three soccer manager with the Union of European Football Associations.

Santesteban said he and Eraña immediately saw eye to eye on introducing a variety of new training approaches and utilizing the veteran soccer player’s tactical knowledge.

"I think this will prove to be a very special season from both an athletic and academic standpoint in that the players, staff and Iñaki himself will benefit by the cultural exchange of futbol/soccer ideas," Santesteban said. "The ability to share ideas and learn new approaches can only help everyone who is involved in this program."

With his first year of coaching in the United States underway, the new assistant coach said he is eager to learn more about American soccer organizations after witnessing the increasing interest Major League Soccer has garnered internationally over the past couple of years as the U.S. team fights to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. Besides his work with the College, Eraña also joins the coaching roster for the 2009-2010 Space City Futbol Club season.

The San Jacinto College men's soccer team had one of the most successful seasons on record in 2008. The team went 18-2-2 overall, playing in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s national title game for the first time in school history. Santesteban, who completed his fifth season with the San Jacinto College men’s soccer program, was named the NJCAA South District coach of the year, and the NSCAA South Region coach of the year.

For more information about San Jacinto College men’s soccer, please visit www.sanjacsports.com.

San Jacinto College serves more than 24,500 students in over 140 degrees and certificates in university transfer and technical programs. The College also serves the community through workforce training. Students come with various goals and aspirations and we are committed to their success. San Jacinto College. Your Goals. Your College.

For more information about San Jacinto College, please call 281-998-6150 or visit www.sanjac.edu.