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One of Orange County’s best soccer coaches is now part of a national Hall of Fame.
Retired Sunny Hills girls soccer coach Jeff Gordon was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame earlier this summer in Lincoln, Neb.
The association honored a large class of coaches from across the nation.
“What an incredible honor,” said Gordon, who attended the event with his wife Soon-Ya and children Aaron and Adrienne. “You knew you were in the presence of greatness.”
Gordon guided the Lancers to three CIF-SS titles during a 32-year run that ended in the spring of 2022.
He also led the program to four section runner-up finishes, 19 Freeway League titles, 22 tournament crowns and more than 600 victories.
Sunny Hills made the playoffs in 31 of Gordon’s 32 seasons, and saw him send more than 80 players into the collegiate ranks.
Gordon was The Register’s coach of the year in 2012-13.
“Our phrase is tradition never graduates,” he told The Register in January 2022. “You build a tradition, and it’s a great challenge to try to keep it going from year to year. I’m a competitor and I enjoy the competition. I like to help my players become champions.”
Gordon, a history teacher at Sunny Hills, also extended his family legacy at Sunny Hills. His late father Kenn began teaching at the school in 1962 and started the girls and boys soccer programs.
Gordon rose the coaching ranks after playing at Brea Olinda. His son is now a freshman at Brea Olinda while his daughter attends Brea Junior High.
Please send girls soccer news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy
