He’s a new resident of San Diego, so former U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan is still learning his way around town.

The Inland Empire native admitted on Wednesday that he didn’t know La Jolla extended to the east side of Interstate 5, and he inquired of a reporter what the boundaries are to get the city rate at the Torrey Pines golf courses.

× U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan visits a local coaching camp hosted by the San Diego Football Academy in partnership with the Celtic Football Club to work with young players at La Jolla Country Day School.

Told that his address qualified, the avid golfer flashed a big smile and gave a little fist pump.


There is one spot in the county Donovan knows very well, and he drives by it regularly from his house. It’s the Rancho Santa Fe polo fields, where as a youngster he played tournament games in the annual Surf Cup.

“Brings back all those memories,” he said.

On Wednesday, Donovan was creating memories for more kids.

1 / 12 U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan plays with young players at a local coaching camp. (Misael Virgen) 2 / 12 Former U.S. National Soccer Team forward Landon Donovan makes a special appearance to work with young players at a local coaching camp at La Jolla Country Day School. (Misael Virgen) 3 / 12 U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan works with young players during a local coaching camp at La Jolla Country Day School. (Misael Virgen) 4 / 12 Zayne St. Julien, 15, looks for an opening during a local coaching camp hosted by the San Diego Football Academy in partnership with the Celtic Football Club at La Jolla Country Day School. (Misael Virgen) 5 / 12 Landon Donovan, a retired U.S. National Soccer Team forward works with young players during a local coaching camp. (Misael Virgen) 6 / 12 Landon Donovan, a retired U.S. National Soccer Team forward works with young players during a local coaching camp. (Misael Virgen) 7 / 12 Amitesh Sharma, 15, practices passing drills. (Misael Virgen) 8 / 12 U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan works with young players during a local coaching camp at La Jolla Country Day School. (Misael Virgen) 9 / 12 Former U.S. National Soccer Team forward Landon Donovan teaches young players during a local coaching camp. (Misael Virgen) 10 / 12 U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan visits a local coaching camp to work with young players at La Jolla Country Day School. (Misael Virgen) 11 / 12 U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan addresses young players at a local coaching camp. (Misael Virgen) 12 / 12 From left to right, U.S. soccer legend Landon Donovan and Cristian Negrete, a Goalkeeper coach at the San Diego Football Academy high-five after practice during a local coaching camp. (Misael Virgen)


By invitation from the San Diego Football Academy’s Celtic FC, the man considered by many to be the greatest player America has produced worked alongside the club’s coaches and joined the players on the field for a fast-paced game at the La Jolla Country Day School.

The 34-year-old, who retired on top in 2014 when the L.A. Galaxy won the MLS Cup, broke a sweat, but looked as fit as ever. Afterward, Donovan donned the green-and-white-striped Celtic jersey, posed for pictures with each player and sat under a tent to sign autographs.

“We’re not a really big, well-known club, so this means a lot to have him here,” said a smiling Aleksander Ragins, a 15-year-old from Carmel Valley who’s counted soccer as his favorite sport since he was 4. “That such a big player would come to play with us, it definitely inspires me to keep playing.”

That is a large part of Donovan’s motivation, of course. He told the gathered boys that he didn’t have American soccer role models when he was a kid, nor did he get serious formal training until he was accepted at 15 into U.S. Youth Soccer’s Olympic Development Program.


“People get into the gloom and doom when they see the U.S. lose to Argentina (last week in Copa America), but I come out here and figure it’s only a matter of time,” Donovan said. “These kids have coaches who know what they’re doing. They have access to watching on TV. They have role models to look up to.

“People get frustrated because we want to be great now, but I can’t imagine that it will be much longer before we’re competing with the best.”

Donovan, the all-time leading scorer for U.S. Soccer and MLS, was in Houston as a commentator for Argentina’s thorough whipping of the American side, and said of the experience, “I took off my headphones when it was 3-0 Argentina and thought there would be this raucous environment. Everybody was sad, and it made me realize that these were all U.S. fans. It’s tangible.”

Donovan also has been closely watching the European Championships, and like the rest of the world was stunned by England’s Round of 16 loss to tiny Iceland.


Noting America’s own embarrassing 2-0 defeat at Guatemala in May, Donovan said, “It can happen. What it tells me more than anything is that the world is getting smaller. There are players all over the world getting better coaching and training.”

Donovan has insisted in the past that he had no interest in being a coach because he didn’t want to deal with the big egos at the highest levels, but he admitted he’s reconsidering after spending more time with youth players.

“What I’m thinking more and more is that I want to work with elite young kids,” he said. “I don’t want to babysit, but I want to be able to help kids who are good players in all parts of their life.”

Donovan moved to San Diego from L.A. because he and his wife, Hannah, recently had their first child and her parents, the Bartells, are prominent hoteliers here. Donovan has a goal for his adopted city: get an MLS team.


It was reported last week that Padres lead investor Peter Seidler and private equity investor Mike Stone are part of a group looking to bring an MLS franchise here.

Donovan said he has had “early conversations” with people “who have a very serious interest” in San Diego.

“If I can be a part of that, it would be tremendous,” he said. “I would love to see this area have a USL (United Soccer League) team or MLS team. This is a crazy soccer market.”

The better for his presence.


tod.leonard@sduniontribune.com