Alvin James
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | April 6, 1967 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Mandeville, Jamaica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Positions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1986 | UNC Greensboro Spartans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | FIU Golden Panthers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1994 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 63 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Illinois Thunder (indoor) | 23 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | Florida Strikers | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2011 | Weston Soccer Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| American Heritage (Delray) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | West Pines United | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013– | Miramar United Elite FC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alvin James (born April 6, 1967) is a retired Jamaican-American soccer midfielder / forward who played professionally in the American Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League, and National Professional Soccer League. He has coached youth soccer in South Florida for many years.
Youth career
[edit]James was born in Mandeville, Jamaica, James moved to South Florida with his family as a young boy. He grew up playing soccer with the U-19 Lauderhill Lions FC winning 2 State Championships in 1984 and 1985.
In 1985, James graduated from Boyd Anderson High School.[1]
College career
[edit]James attended UNC-Greensboro, playing on the Spartans 1985 and 1986 NCAA Men's Division III Soccer National Championship Team.[2] in 1985 the team went 20-5-0 overall record and 7-0-0 in the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In 1986 the team went 18–5–0 and won the DIII championship back-to-back.[3]
In 2014, James and the rest of the 1985 championship squad were collectively inducted into the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame.[2][4]
He transferred to Florida International University where he completed his collegiate career with the Golden Panthers (during their transition between Division II to Division I in 1987 and 1988 and graduated with a degree in economics. In 1988 he had among the most assist on the team.[5]
Professional career
[edit]In 1989, James turned professional when he signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League.[6] That season, the Strikers won the league championship. James played for the Strikers in 1990 and 1991.[1]
On October 31, 1991, James signed with the Illinois Thunder of the National Professional Soccer League, but tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in February 1992.
He had reconstructive surgery on May 19, 1992, and lost the entire 1992 outdoor season.[7] He came back and played for the Strikers in 1993 when they were in the American Professional Soccer League. He recorded 14 goals and 15 assists in 63 games across his outdoor career with the Strikers.[8]
In 1997, James had a brief stint with the Florida Strikers in the D3 Professional League, marking the final chapter of his professional playing career.[8]
Coaching career
[edit]James coached for the Weston Soccer Club from 1999 to 2011 winning 4 State Championships for the Club putting them on the map as a viable and competitive club Nationally.[9] The club was then awarded Academy Status where he coached the 1993/1994 U-16 squad.
Many players under James garnered athletic scholarships most notable where Alejandro Bedoya, Scotty Campbell, and Jean Alexander. James then went on to coach American Heritage School (Delray Beach, Florida) winning another 3 State Championships.
He left Weston FC and coached at West Pines United for 2 years from 2011 to 2013 before starting and becoming the DOC of his own club, Miramar United Elite FC in Miramar Florida in 2013.[10]
Statistics
[edit]| Year | Lg | Team | GP | GS | Min | G | A | Pts | PKG | Shts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | ASL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 8 | 4 | 511 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | APSL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 15 | 12 | 1136 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1991 | APSL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 17 | 13 | 1308 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1993 | APSL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 18 | 15 | 1270 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | APSL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 5 | 3 | 336 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | D3 Pro League | Florida Strikers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 63 | 47 | 4561 | 14 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Postseason statistics
[edit]| Year | Lg | Team | GP | GS | Min | G | A | Pts | PKG | Shts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | ASL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 4 | 4 | 337 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | APSL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 3 | 2 | 225 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | APSL | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 2 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 9 | 6 | 604 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Indoor league statistics
[edit]| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | PPG | FCB | Shts | S% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–92 | NPSL | Illinois Thunder | 23 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 41 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 10.0% |
| totals | 23 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 41 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 10.0% | ||
Honours
[edit]Player
[edit]- Youth
- Lauderhill Lions FC
- Florida State Championship: 1984, 1985
- College
- UNC Greensboro Spartans
- NCAA Division III National Championship: 1985, 1986
- Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship: 1985
- All-Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Second Team: 1986
- Club
- Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- American Soccer League Championship: 1989
- Individual & Inductions
- UNC Greensboro Spartans
- UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame: 2014
Manager
[edit]- Weston Soccer Club
- Florida State Championship (4x): 1999–2011
- American Heritage School (Delray Beach)
- Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) State Championship (3x)
References
[edit]- 1 2 "JAMES MAKES HIS POINTS". Sun Sentinel. May 20, 1990. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- 1 2 "1985 Men's Soccer Team (2014) - ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME". UNC Greensboro. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
- ↑ "1986 Men's Soccer Team (2014) - ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME". UNC Greensboro. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
- ↑ "UNCG Announces 2014 Hall of Fame Class". UNC Greensboro. 2014-08-05. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
- ↑ "M-Soccer Annual Leaders". FIU Athletics. 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
- ↑ 1989 Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- ↑ James’ Knee in Shape After Long Recovery
- 1 2 3 "Alvin James soccer statistics". StatsCrew. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Troy Manheimer - Men's Soccer". Stony Brook University Athletics. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
- ↑ "Alvin James - DOC Miramar United Elite FC/Supreme FC". FieldLevel. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
- Living people
- American soccer coaches
- American men's soccer players
- American Soccer League (1988–89) players
- American Professional Soccer League players
- FIU Panthers men's soccer players
- Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994) players
- Illinois Thunder players
- National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) players
- UNC Greensboro Spartans men's soccer players
- Men's association football forwards
- Men's association football midfielders
- Soccer players from Broward County, Florida
- High school soccer coaches in the United States
- Sportspeople from Mandeville, Jamaica
