FirstPoint alum John Robertson has landed one of the top assistant coaching roles in collegiate soccer with his appointment onto the University of Texas coaching staff.
Having built up an impressive coaching CV over the past decade, the Aberdeen native has spent the past season as assistant coach for the University of Cincinnati women’s soccer team, and has now secured a move to the Longhorns, under head coach Angela Kelly, representing arguably the biggest brand in college athletics.
Welcome to the Forty Acres, Coach Robertson 🤘
— Texas Soccer (@TexasSoccer) February 13, 2024
📰: https://t.co/T3CnfbfBKA#HookEm | @JohnRobNews pic.twitter.com/8ALUJguR2v
"It's an exciting day for our soccer program here on the Forty Acres with the hiring of our new assistant coach," Kelly said. "Every opportunity I have to build our staff, my number one goal is to find hard-working, experienced individuals who possess a tremendous passion for the game with the highest level of loyalty, character and integrity.
"Those qualities are incredibly hard to find and with this hire, we have found them all. I could not be more excited to have John Robertson join my coaching staff."
Robertson began his US career with Maryville College in Tennessee, having secured a scholarship through FirstPoint USA back in 2013. He spent four successful years with the Scots from 2009 - 12, and as team captain he led the team to three consecutive Great South Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships (2009-11), while also being named to the 2011 All-Great South First Team and 2012 All-USA South Athletic Conference.
Graduating from Maryville with a Bachelor of English Literature, he returned to Scotland to continue his studies at Robert Gordon University where he earned a Masters in Journalism, before States came calling again.
His first coaching role was back at Maryville, and in 2016 he helped guide the program to its first ever USA South regular season and conference tournament championship. The season resulted in an 18-3 record and an appearance in the NCAA DIII tournament for the first time since 2005. Three years later, he helped the University of Montevallo earn its first NCAA DII tournament appearance in 12 years.
“If you want to be good, focus on making yourself better. If you want to be great, focus on making yourself and your team better.” ~ Jon Gordon.
— John Robertson (@JohnRobNews) April 10, 2022
Delighted where these 3 warriors have taken UAB #GKunion this spring. Quality work repays you and we’re just scratching the surface🧤 pic.twitter.com/rZ5wZHsCIv
With his stock rising, he moved to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he oversaw Blazers’ goalkeepers, out-of-possession game model and recruiting strategies for five seasons, and in his final year the Blazers posted a program-best 10 match unbeaten streak, with a team that featured a league best six All-Conference USA selections.
"I'm fortunate and tremendously excited to be given the opportunity to join the Longhorns at such a special time in the program's growth," Robertson said. "I'm very grateful to Coach Kelly for allowing me this opportunity to continue develop and learn at Texas, while putting into practice everything I've experienced and learned throughout my coaching career up to this point."
Robertson was present at the recent FirstPoint USA Soccer Showcase at St Goerge’s Park in December, and we caught up with him then to discuss his impressive playing and coaching career on the other side of the Atlantic, and how it all started with FirstPoint USA.
