2008 Woodie Awards
Coach Britton makes his mark
Profile: From a world-class athlete, to a world-class coach
By: Stella Sutphin
Issue date: 9/16/04 Section: Sports
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Every day he steps onto the soccer field to meet up with his players to begin practice, and every so often a flashback occurs in his mind of his first time at EC.
Coming here years ago from Scotland, John Britton, men and women's soccer and badminton coach, stepped onto the campus without ever realizing he would later enter EC's athletic Hall of Fame for the recording the most goals scored for soccer.
"I came here to play soccer when I graduated school in Scotland," Britton said.
Britton played every sport, from rugby, badminton, soccer, water polo, cricket, and tennis in Scotland, but he found most of his success in badminton and soccer.
"In Scotland, I was an all-around athlete because I didn't have pressure placed on me; my parents let me develop because they let me play a bunch of sports and never forced me to stick to one," Britton said.
Being in EC's Hall of Fame is not the only accomplishment Britton has; he has also won the Scottish Open twice.
" I won as a Scot first then after I moved to the U.S. I went back with my American partner and won as an American," Britton said.
Britton has also played international for badminton and was professional in Scotland and the U.S. He was eighth in the world for badmiton men's doubles and the U.S. Men's National Champion for doubles five times, as well as the U.S. Open Men's Champion twice for doubles.
Britton was also a professional soccer player and coach for L.A.'s former team, the L.A. Heat, until it ended; he continues to play on the weekend with his soccer team in Palos Verdes with singer Rod Stewart as his fellow teammate.
Through all his success, Britton has a love for EC that brought him back here and keeps him here.
"I really enjoy working and coaching at EC. I love it because I enjoy the environment. It's a great environment to work in, with a lot of college support," Britton said.
Britton has coached the men and women's soccer teams for about nine or 10 years and has coached the women since the start of badminton five years ago.
Coming here years ago from Scotland, John Britton, men and women's soccer and badminton coach, stepped onto the campus without ever realizing he would later enter EC's athletic Hall of Fame for the recording the most goals scored for soccer.
"I came here to play soccer when I graduated school in Scotland," Britton said.
Britton played every sport, from rugby, badminton, soccer, water polo, cricket, and tennis in Scotland, but he found most of his success in badminton and soccer.
"In Scotland, I was an all-around athlete because I didn't have pressure placed on me; my parents let me develop because they let me play a bunch of sports and never forced me to stick to one," Britton said.
Being in EC's Hall of Fame is not the only accomplishment Britton has; he has also won the Scottish Open twice.
" I won as a Scot first then after I moved to the U.S. I went back with my American partner and won as an American," Britton said.
Britton has also played international for badminton and was professional in Scotland and the U.S. He was eighth in the world for badmiton men's doubles and the U.S. Men's National Champion for doubles five times, as well as the U.S. Open Men's Champion twice for doubles.
Britton was also a professional soccer player and coach for L.A.'s former team, the L.A. Heat, until it ended; he continues to play on the weekend with his soccer team in Palos Verdes with singer Rod Stewart as his fellow teammate.
Through all his success, Britton has a love for EC that brought him back here and keeps him here.
"I really enjoy working and coaching at EC. I love it because I enjoy the environment. It's a great environment to work in, with a lot of college support," Britton said.
Britton has coached the men and women's soccer teams for about nine or 10 years and has coached the women since the start of badminton five years ago.