Neil Jones
Encyclopedia
Neil Warren "Jonesy" Jones (born 16 February 1982, in Takapuna
, New Zealand
) is a New Zealand
er collegiate soccer
assistant coach
who is currently with the University of California, Santa Barbara
Men's Soccer team. He is a former member of the New Zealand national team.
. Rangitoto (Juniors), East Coast Bays
, Dunedin Technical
, Waitakere City F.C.
, and Westlake Boys High School all had Jones as a team member.
from University of Otago
, whereupon he joined the university's men's soccer team in 2001. As a freshman, Jones played on the defensive line with fellow New Zealand freshman Tony Lochhead
. He appeared in 14 games, scoring 3 goals. Jones missed the final 5 games due to injury as the Gauchos went on to win their first ever Big West Conference
Championship in program history.
As a sophomore, Jones appeared in 15 games, starting 7 of them. Jones was moved to the offensive line by coach Tim Vom Steeg
and he responded by scoring 2 goals. UCSB again won the Big West Championship and made the NCAA Soccer Tournament
for the first time in school history, advancing to the second round. Jones made an appearance in the first game, but was an unused sub in the second.
In 2003 Jones featured in 21 games, starting 19 and scored 13 goals. Jones missed out on the Big West title for the first time in his career as rivals Cal State Northridge
edged out the Gauchos. However, the Gauchos advanced to the 3rd round of the NCAA Tournament, setting a new school record. Jones played in both of UCSB's post season games, having received a First Round bye.
Jones' senior year saw another huge offensive output as the striker netted 10 times in 23 games, starting 22 of them as UCSB won a third Big West Championship and advanced all the way to the Championship game in the 2004 Division I Men's College Cup
. Held in Carson, California
, Jones and the Gauchos took the Indiana Hoosiers
to penalties before finally bowing out. Tragically for Jones, his penalty sailed just high of the crossbar, but the team's showing was the best Gaucho performance in their history to that point.
, Jones broke his leg which delayed his opportunities to show his skill to potential suitors. Jones bounced back and eventually signed a contract with Queensland Roar FC
of the A-League
. Unfortunately, Jones was unable to find his way on to the opening day roster and never competed in a league game for Queensland.
Jones did not give up though, spending the rest of the 2005 season with New Zealand
side East Coast Bays
. He spent the next season with Kuala Lumpur FA
of the Malaysia Premier League before calling it a career.
team, Jones competed in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
held in New Zealand. He appeared in all 3 games Group A games, but New Zealand failed to advance.
As a member of the New Zealand national team, known as the All Whites, Jones collected his only 2 caps (2 goals) in 2004 in New Zealand's 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
.
and First Assistant Greg Wilson. In his first year as assistant coach during the 2006 season, the Gauchos surpassed his 2004 team by winning the NCAA Championship at the 2006 Division I Men's College Cup
in St. Louis, Missouri
. With Jones as an assistant coach, the Gauchos have never failed to win the Big West Championship. He has since moved on to the top assistant coaching position at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Takapuna
Takapuna is a central, coastal suburb of North Shore City, located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, at the beginning of a south-east-facing peninsula forming the northern side of the Waitemata Harbour...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) is a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
er collegiate soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
assistant coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
who is currently with the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
Men's Soccer team. He is a former member of the New Zealand national team.
Pre-UCSB
Neil Jones saw time with many clubs while in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Rangitoto (Juniors), East Coast Bays
East Coast Bays (soccer)
East Coast Bays AFC is a professional football club in Northcross, North Shore City, New Zealand. They currently compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier....
, Dunedin Technical
Dunedin Technical
Dunedin Technical - known locally as "Tech" - is a semi-professional association football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They compete in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.-Club history:...
, Waitakere City F.C.
Waitakere City F.C.
Waitakere City F.C. is a professional New Zealand football club. They currently compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier.-History:It was formed in 1989 with the purpose of representing West Auckland in the National Soccer League....
, and Westlake Boys High School all had Jones as a team member.
At UCSB
Jones transferred to UC Santa BarbaraUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
from University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
, whereupon he joined the university's men's soccer team in 2001. As a freshman, Jones played on the defensive line with fellow New Zealand freshman Tony Lochhead
Tony Lochhead
Tony James Lochhead is a New Zealander football defender who currently plays for Wellington Phoenix of the A-League.-Club career:Lochhead went to America to play college soccer for UC Santa Barbara in 2001...
. He appeared in 14 games, scoring 3 goals. Jones missed the final 5 games due to injury as the Gauchos went on to win their first ever Big West Conference
Big West Conference
The Big West Conference is an NCAA-affiliated Division I mid-major college athletic conference. When the conference began in 1969, its name was the Pacific Coast Athletic Association . After nineteen years, in 1988, its name was changed to the Big West Conference. The conference stopped...
Championship in program history.
As a sophomore, Jones appeared in 15 games, starting 7 of them. Jones was moved to the offensive line by coach Tim Vom Steeg
Tim Vom Steeg
Timothy Harold "Tim" Vom Steeg is an American collegiate soccer head coach who is currently with the University of California, Santa Barbara men's soccer team. He has been with the Gauchos since 1999 and is the most successful coach in the history of UC Santa Barbara...
and he responded by scoring 2 goals. UCSB again won the Big West Championship and made the NCAA Soccer Tournament
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
for the first time in school history, advancing to the second round. Jones made an appearance in the first game, but was an unused sub in the second.
In 2003 Jones featured in 21 games, starting 19 and scored 13 goals. Jones missed out on the Big West title for the first time in his career as rivals Cal State Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
edged out the Gauchos. However, the Gauchos advanced to the 3rd round of the NCAA Tournament, setting a new school record. Jones played in both of UCSB's post season games, having received a First Round bye.
Jones' senior year saw another huge offensive output as the striker netted 10 times in 23 games, starting 22 of them as UCSB won a third Big West Championship and advanced all the way to the Championship game in the 2004 Division I Men's College Cup
2004 Division I Men's College Cup
The 2004 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship was a tournament of 48 teams from NCAA Division I. This year's College Cup Final Four was held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. All the other games were played at the home field of the higher seeded team. The final was held on...
. Held in Carson, California
Carson, California
Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
, Jones and the Gauchos took the Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball...
to penalties before finally bowing out. Tragically for Jones, his penalty sailed just high of the crossbar, but the team's showing was the best Gaucho performance in their history to that point.
Professional career
Neil Jones' professional career was short lived. While on a trial in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Jones broke his leg which delayed his opportunities to show his skill to potential suitors. Jones bounced back and eventually signed a contract with Queensland Roar FC
Queensland Roar FC
Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia competing in the Hyundai A-League national competition, playing their home games at Suncorp Stadium...
of the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. Unfortunately, Jones was unable to find his way on to the opening day roster and never competed in a league game for Queensland.
Jones did not give up though, spending the rest of the 2005 season with New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
side East Coast Bays
East Coast Bays (soccer)
East Coast Bays AFC is a professional football club in Northcross, North Shore City, New Zealand. They currently compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier....
. He spent the next season with Kuala Lumpur FA
Kuala Lumpur FA
The Kuala Lumpur Football Association is a Malaysian professional football association based in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. The association was founded as the Federal Territory Football Association in 1974 and entered Malaysian football competitions in 1979 before being renamed Kuala Lumpur in 1986...
of the Malaysia Premier League before calling it a career.
International career
Neil has represented New Zealand at the U17, U20, U23, and Senior International squads. As a member of the New Zealand U17New Zealand national under-17 football team
The New Zealand Under 17's football team, more commonly known as the Young All Whites, is controlled by New Zealand Football and represents New Zealand in international Under 17 or youth football competitions....
team, Jones competed in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The FIFA U-17 World Championship 1999 was held in the cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, and Dunedin in New Zealand between 10 November and 27 November 1999...
held in New Zealand. He appeared in all 3 games Group A games, but New Zealand failed to advance.
As a member of the New Zealand national team, known as the All Whites, Jones collected his only 2 caps (2 goals) in 2004 in New Zealand's 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Oceania. 12 teams took part, competing for a place in the intercontinental play-off against the fifth-placed team from South America...
.
Coaching career
Neil Jones was added to the UC Santa Barbara coaching staff on 22 March 2006. He was given the title of "Second Full Time Assistant Coach", under head coach Tim Vom SteegTim Vom Steeg
Timothy Harold "Tim" Vom Steeg is an American collegiate soccer head coach who is currently with the University of California, Santa Barbara men's soccer team. He has been with the Gauchos since 1999 and is the most successful coach in the history of UC Santa Barbara...
and First Assistant Greg Wilson. In his first year as assistant coach during the 2006 season, the Gauchos surpassed his 2004 team by winning the NCAA Championship at the 2006 Division I Men's College Cup
2006 Division I Men's College Cup
The 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship was a tournament of 48 teams from NCAA Division I who played for the NCAA Championship in soccer. The College Cup Final Four was held at Hermann Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. All the other games were played at the home field of the higher-seeded...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. With Jones as an assistant coach, the Gauchos have never failed to win the Big West Championship. He has since moved on to the top assistant coaching position at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.