Kevin Jeffrey

Kevin Jeffrey (born 4 October 1974 in Trincity, Trinidad and Tobago) is a former professional football (soccer) forward who spent eight seasons in the USL First Division. After his playing career, he became a football manager.

Kevin Jeffrey
Jeffrey in 2007
Personal information
Date of birth (1974-10-04) 4 October 1974[1]
Place of birth Trincity, Trinidad and Tobago
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1996–1997 Yavapai Roughriders
1998–1999 VCU Rams
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000 San Juan Jabloteh F.C.
2000 Bay Area Seals 24 (12)
2001–2005 Richmond Kickers 124 (40)
2005 → North East Stars F.C. (loan)
2006 Toronto Lynx 22 (9)
2007 Carolina RailHawks 14 (0)
Total 184 (61)
International career
2003 Trinidad and Tobago 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

After a successful college-level experience, he was drafted first overall by the San Francisco Bay Seals, making his professional debut in 2000.[2] Good form led to an international call-up in 2000, after he was signed by Richmond Kickers in 2001.[3] It was at Richmond where Jeffrey was able to establish himself as a consistent striker with a proven track record. Received several Team of the Week, and Player of the Week selections and led Richmond to claim their second Conference title. Once the Kickers were relegated, Jeffrey finished off his career with stints in Toronto and Carolina.

Youth level

He started playing amateur soccer with Yavapai Junior College in 1997, where he led Yavapai to a National Junior College Athletic Association championship.[4][5] He earned the first-team Junior College All-American honors and was named Junior College Player of the Year.[6] Later on, he would go and play NCAA soccer with Virginia Commonwealth University for two years, being named to the first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association team both years.[7][8] And won the Virginia State Player of the Year in 1999 and third-team NSCAA All-American.[9] He tallied 29 goals and 7 assists in 38 games for the Rams and hold their school record for most goals in a season with 18, a mark that was once held by John Dugan with 17 in 1987.

In 2009, he was inducted into the NJCAA hall of fame along with footballer Stern John.[10]

Playing career

A-League

He was the first overall pick in the 2000 A-League draft by the San Francisco Bay Seals where he recorded 12 goals and 3 assists as a rookie and finished as the club's top goal scorer.[11] He earlier played in the TT Pro League with San Juan Jabloteh F.C.[12]

When the ownership of San Francisco went on hiatus in 2001 Jeffrey remained in the A-League by signing with league rivals Richmond Kickers.[13][14] In his first season with the club, he led the Kickers in goals and points, scoring 20 goals, adding 9 assists, and was named Team of the Week twice.[15] He also assisted the club in winning the Central Conference title and was selected to the All A-League First team.[16] He helped Richmond make the championship final the following season but was defeated by Milwaukee Rampage.[17] In the 2003 season, he finished as the top goal scorer for the club for the second time in his career as a result was named to the All A-League Second Team.[18]

He re-signed with Richmond for this fifth and final season in 2005.[19] In his final season with the Kickers, he helped the club reach the USL Championship final once more where his team lost in a penalty shoot-out to the Seattle Sounders.[20] In the winter of 2005, he was loaned to North East Stars F.C. in the TT Pro League.,[21]

USL First Division

After the 2005 season, the Kickers were relegated to the USL Second Division and Jeffrey remained in the First Division with the Toronto Lynx.[22][23] Jeffrey made his Lynx debut on 4 June 2006 coming on as a substitute for Damien Pottinger in a match against the Virginia Beach Mariners.[24] He would record his first goal on 21 July 2006 in a 1–1 draw against rivals Rochester Rhinos.[25] He was selected to the USL First Division First All-League team three times and named USL Player of the Week.[26] He concluded the season as the team's leading goal scorer with nine goals and helped the Toronto club reach the finals of the Open Canada Cup.[27]

After the 2006 season, the Lynx franchise dropped two divisions down to the USL Premier Development League, thus releasing Jeffrey from his Toronto contract.[28] He signed with expansion franchise Carolina RailHawks in 2007 and appeared in fourteen league games for the RailHawks.[29][30]

International career

He has also earned one cap with the Trinidad and Tobago national team in 2003.[31] On 19 November 2003, he made his debut for the national team in a friendly match against Cuba.[32][12]

Managerial career

On 7 December 2009, he was appointed Director of Football for the North East Stars in the TT Pro League.[33] In 2018, he was named the under- 18 head coach for San Juan Jabloteh F.C.[34]

References
  1. "Trinidad and Tobago – K. Jeffrey – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  2. Stinson, Dan (29 July 2000). "Tilley, Mobilio tally as 86ers topple Seals". Vancouver Sun. pp. D15.
  3. Stinson, Dan (3 August 2001). "Lyall expects big challenge tonight". Vancouver Sun. pp. D2.
  4. "Kevin Jeffrey". socawarriors.net. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  5. Flick, Jon. "Trinidad and Yavapai". Soca Warriors Online – Trinidad and Tobago Football. Daily Courier. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  6. Mendoza, Oliver. "Celebrating Black History Month: Kevin Jeffrey, the Trinidadian talisman". Soca Warriors Online – Trinidad and Tobago Football. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  7. L. Williams, Jennifer (12 November 1998). "Leader in the box". Daily Press. p. 9.
  8. "Big first half lifts W&M to CAA crown". Daily Press. 15 November 1999. p. 9.
  9. "Indoor soccer team drafts ODU star". Daily Press. 23 December 1999. p. 9.
  10. Hirigoyen, David (18 July 2009). "Stern John & Kevin Jeffrey elected to the NJCAA Soccer Hall of Fame". The Daily Courier. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  11. "404 – Page Not Found". SportsEngine. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2020. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  12. "Player Profile – Kevin Jeffrey". socawarriors.net. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  13. Stinson, Dan (27 July 2001). "Midfield suits 'Caps Titus: Since moving from sweeper to midfield six games ago, the 32-year-old Toronto native has become the Vancouver Whitecaps premier playmaker". Vancouver Sun. pp. D5.
  14. Huggins, Harold (5 May 2001). "Metros lose in final seconds". The Tennessean. p. 5.
  15. "Kevin Jeffrey | SoccerStats.us". soccerstats.us. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  16. Stinson, Dan (20 September 2001). "Whitecaps get insurance in goal". Vancouver Sun. p. 85.
  17. "Rampage wins title". Democrat and Chronicle. 29 September 2002. p. 46.
  18. "Soccer – A-League Playoffs". Calgary Herald. 12 September 2003. p. 7.
  19. Stinson, Dan (23 April 2005). "United Soccer Leagues – Richmond Kickers". Vancouver Sun. pp. E4.
  20. "Seattle Wins Championship". The Olympian. 2 October 2005. p. 10.
  21. Villafana, Joel (25 October 2005). "North East stars sign Gary Glasgow and Kevin Jeffrey". Soca Warriors Online – Trinidad and Tobago Football. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  22. "Soccer Activity – Toronto Lynx". The Globe and Mail. 19 May 2006. p. S4.
  23. "Scoring Sensation To Join Lynx – Deana Everrett named to W-League Team of the Week". uslfans.com. 18 May 2006. Archived from the original on 14 June 2006. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  24. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". 30 November 2006. Archived from the original on 30 November 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  25. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". 30 November 2006. Archived from the original on 30 November 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  26. "Kevin Jeffrey named A-League Player of the Week". Soca Warriors Online – Trinidad and Tobago Football. 12 September 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  27. "2006 CSL season" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  28. Davidson, Neil (13 October 2006). "Lynx a costly labour of love". Canadian Press.
  29. Carter, Rachel (21 April 2007). "Carolina RailHawks Season Preview". Newspapers.com. The News and Observer. p. C8. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  30. "RailHawks news". Carolina Railhawks media release. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  31. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Kevin Jeffrey". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  32. "Kevin Jeffrey Called To Full National Team Duty for Trinidad & Tobago". OurSports Central. 19 November 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  33. "Sancho appointed NE Stars CEO...Jeffrey is director of football". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  34. Molina, Hernan Porras (20 May 2018). "Jabloteh, Stars clash after coaches swap sides". EntornoInteligente (in European Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2020.
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