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Gordon Jago to retire as Dallas Cup executive director, will remain as consultant
Tournament’s executive director will step down in June
JOAN NIESEN
Staff writer
jniesen@dallasnews.com
Published: 15 November 2011 10:41 PM
Jago, 79, has been with the organization since May 2002. He said that now is the right time to step aside, mostly because of the time-consuming nature of the job. He will remain with the Cup as a consultant, recruiting big-name teams and sponsorship money.
Jago began his career as a professional soccer player in England before managing teams in England and the U.S., including the Dallas Sidekicks.
When he took over the Dallas Cup, Jago realized that soccer is only a small part of what the tournament does, and he’s worked to expand its reach to touch more of the local community.
Under Jago, the organization began holding soccer and art camps for underprivileged children, and Jago set up a program in which foreign teams hold meet-and-greet sessions at local high schools, teaching students about their cultures.
He also began taking the players on professional teams like Manchester United who travel to the tournament to local children’s hospitals to visit with the patients.
It’s all part of Jago’s vision of what soccer should be: something more than just a sport, a force that brings people together and plays a part in local communities.
“I sometimes get disappointed with some of our sports … that the players who have become stars do not give of their time to a fan,” Jago said.
For Jago, memories of the Dallas Cup don’t involve big games or memorable goals. The memories are of the Peace Team, made up of nine Israeli and nine Palestinian boys.
The memories are of the team from Iraq; how Jago watched people accept the boys despite the political conflicts between the U.S. and their country. He has enough stories from his nine years with the Cup to fill hours, and he said that his time with the tournament has been the most rewarding of his career.
Jago’s successor, whom he will name next week, will join the Dallas Cup on Dec. 1 and gradually transition into the job. The 2012 Dallas Cup, Jago’s last as executive director, will be held April 1-8.
Tournament’s executive director will step down in June
JOAN NIESEN
Staff writer
jniesen@dallasnews.com
Published: 15 November 2011 10:41 PM
Jago, 79, has been with the organization since May 2002. He said that now is the right time to step aside, mostly because of the time-consuming nature of the job. He will remain with the Cup as a consultant, recruiting big-name teams and sponsorship money.
Jago began his career as a professional soccer player in England before managing teams in England and the U.S., including the Dallas Sidekicks.
When he took over the Dallas Cup, Jago realized that soccer is only a small part of what the tournament does, and he’s worked to expand its reach to touch more of the local community.
Under Jago, the organization began holding soccer and art camps for underprivileged children, and Jago set up a program in which foreign teams hold meet-and-greet sessions at local high schools, teaching students about their cultures.
He also began taking the players on professional teams like Manchester United who travel to the tournament to local children’s hospitals to visit with the patients.
It’s all part of Jago’s vision of what soccer should be: something more than just a sport, a force that brings people together and plays a part in local communities.
“I sometimes get disappointed with some of our sports … that the players who have become stars do not give of their time to a fan,” Jago said.
For Jago, memories of the Dallas Cup don’t involve big games or memorable goals. The memories are of the Peace Team, made up of nine Israeli and nine Palestinian boys.
The memories are of the team from Iraq; how Jago watched people accept the boys despite the political conflicts between the U.S. and their country. He has enough stories from his nine years with the Cup to fill hours, and he said that his time with the tournament has been the most rewarding of his career.
Jago’s successor, whom he will name next week, will join the Dallas Cup on Dec. 1 and gradually transition into the job. The 2012 Dallas Cup, Jago’s last as executive director, will be held April 1-8.
