Heinz Consten

Heinz Consten, of Croton, NJ, died on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at his home.

Born: August 3, 1939 in Aachen, Germany, Heinz Consten’s abiding wish was to come to America. At age 21 he left his family and traveled alone to the United States. He believed that with determination and hard work he would succeed at whatever he wished for, because America was the Land of Opportunity. His love of this country helped him to become a citizen and also promote love of Country in every young person he worked with over the years.

In 1968: he embarked on his lifelong love affair with teaching youth players the beautiful game of Soccer. His accomplishments are broad and far-reaching, and listed here for the benefit of those who want to know his history, for he would never have promoted himself in life as he felt his primary mission was to work in the trenches with emerging players rather than be a part of the organized USSF and NJYSA. He stayed true to that belief for 40 years, going his own way with hundreds of players who he believed had the potential to succeed in sports and life, as long as they were willing to work hard and believe in themselves.

1968: Involved in creation and coaching of Vernon Township Regional Youth Soccer Association. Coached three youth teams yearly in Vernon from 1968 to 1984. 1968-1980 Instrumental in development of three National Team Players, who played in Russia for the National Team. Coached programs in San Antonio, Texas and Thousand Oaks, California, as well as Phoenix, Arizona.

1977: Built facility at West Valley Sports Club, Vernon, New Jersey in order to teach concept of Total Soccer on a wider level, year round to youth players and adult coaches. Professional coaches Cardiff and Swansea, Wales; Torquay, Southampton, Hereford, England; Bayer-Levenkusen, Germany and other European nations as well as Brazil, S.A. conducted summer training programs from 1980 to 1990. Keith Eddy and Terry Garbett, N.Y. Cosmos 1980s, Joe Chivaro, U.S. Army Coach at West Point and other New York area coaches also participated In Sport Club programs, utilizing the club’s 4 grass fields, lodging for 160 and indoor training facility. Hosted Regional and National Team tryouts throughout the 80s at West Valley Sports Club, Vernon, NJ.

1980: Coach of Vernon Thunderbolts Boy's Soccer Team. Directed an eight-country tour of Europe and Britain with a group of 36 for 21 days, coordinating home-stay games. 1980-1987: Conducted numerous clinics and training sessions for players and adults on tactics and skills in Soccer.

1981-1982: Participated in coaching courses held at Hennef Sports School in West Germany, home of the German National Team, and Football Association Course in Newport, Wales, and British Isles. Studied all levels of coaching and types of game play utilized in various countries for the last fifteen years, teaching youth players and adult coaches. 1983: Participated in Coaching Courses in Belgium and Germany.

1984-1985: Instrumental in conception and implementation of Select Team Program for Jersey Hills Youth Soccer Association and Hudson Valley Youth Soccer, Southern New York State.

1984-1990: Provided Coaching Clinics and Mini-Clinics as well as Summer Camp Programs for Wallkill Wolves, Washingtonville, Goshen, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Middletown and other Hudson Valley Club and Travel and Select Teams.

1985: Advisor to Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League, Jersey Hills Soccer League and Head Coach for Mid-New Jersey Youth Soccer.

1986: Arranged European tour for Arizona State Teams, U-16, and U-19. Took 56 persons to five countries, arranging all air, land and games.

1987: Received "A" Coaching Licenses at Colorado Springs, Colorado under the tutelage of Karl-Heinz Heddergott, German National Federation Head Coach, and Head Coach, USSF.

Coach of U-19 Northern Countries team, which participated in the Major Juniors Division. - A select group of the best teams in New Jersey.

1987-1990 Instrumental in placing many High School players at Division 1 colleges on Scholarship: Old Dominion, North Carolina State, San Diego State, etc.

1988: Varsity Coach at Pope John High School.

1988-1990: Coach and Trainer for Cosmopolitan Travel Teams, U-8, U-10 and U-12. U-10 were League Champions in 1989; 1988, 1989, Conducted Pre-season training sessions for High School Players, & 1990. with special weeks in August, run by European Professional Coaches.

1990: State Coach for New Jersey U-13 1/2 Team, Olympic Development Program.

1989: Arranged European travel for ten travel teams, ages U-10 through U-19 and their parents. (Total 200 persons).

1989: Arranged agreement with Belgian Football Association and Flanders Football League to participate in European. Tournaments in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Switzerland and Austria in 1991.

1990-1991: Head Coach at Pine Bush High School, Pine Bush, New York. Winners OCCL, 1990. Received Coach of the Year 1990 Award .

Arranged for Varsity Player to train with the Belgium National Team for 4 weeks.

Trainer for Allendale Americans, Wyckoff Torpedoes, Ramapo Soccer Club, Branchburg Soccer Club, Rahway Cyclones, Kittatinny High School. Conducted training programs year-round for local clubs and high school teams.

1993: Re-certified for the USSF "A" License by attending classes and games in Phoenix, Arizona.

Planned tours for Italy and Germany to attend the 1994 World Cup games in New York and Chicago.

1994: Tour of Austria, Switzerland and Italy for Easter. Invitation to prestigious tournament in Prato in June held by First Division Clubs in Germany, Belgium, France and Italy to pick new players.

1995 Played in tournament in Como, Italy with 2 U-16 teams. Placed first and second.

Placed 2 American players in the Belgian National league, Herantals, Div 3.

Instrumental in placing scholar/athlete in Div. 1 Columbia University.

1996: Relocated the Sports School to Hunterdon County after the West Valley property was purchased by the Dept. of the Interior for The Wallkill River Wildlife Refuge and renamed the club.

Fall and winter training conducted in Califon and Lebanon. Ongoing programs include Rahway Cyclones, U-14 girls and 4 Other teams, U-16 Allendale Americans Boys, Warwick United, New York; Pine Bush, New York, Kittatinney High School and Allendale U-8 and U-12 Boys.

In Como, Italy tournament that year U-14s placed second.

1997: Continued Winter training in Vernon, N.J. as well as other New Jersey and New York locations.

Influential in placing player on U-15 National Team.

1998: Summer Camps in 10 locations in N.J. and N. Y. Tours in Italy Germany, Holland, Belgium. Began training in Purnell School, Bedminster, NJ

1999: Joined Inter-Milan (Italy) to promote high-level training in the USA for talented players ages 11 to 18 during summer months. Sent 2 players to Inter-Milan to train with the Div. 1 Club players for 2 weeks.

Easter tours in Italy and summer tour of Germany, Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg for ages 12, 14 and 16.

Conducted summer camps programs in 10 locations with a staff of European coaches and American assistants teaching the Total Soccer Dutch Method of Play.

2000: Second year of Inter Milan Intercampus and Spartac Soccer School co-operation, with emphasis on identifying players of high caliber for possible professional careers in Italy.U-12 and U-14 teams played and toured in Italy and Austria during Easter break.

2001: Integration of the 2 programs into one, providing all players with access to the talents of Italian, Belgian, German coaches under the umbrella of Spartac International Soccer School. U-12 and U-14 teams placed first and second in Italy in the Como tournament.

1996 through 2001: Youth teams carded in Central Jersey Youth Soccer Association, with players U-10 through U-14d progressing each year upward. Currently U-12, U-13 and U-14 co-ed teams playing in Premier Divisions.

2001 – 2014: Conducted classes at Purnell School, Branchburg Sports Center, Diamond Nation, Healthquest, the Hunterdon Learning Center, and other locations in Hunterdon County as well as classes in New Brunswick, Holmdel, and other locations in New Jersey.

Career Highlights:

7 players since 1981 have achieved U.S. National Team status. Influential in placing many players in Div. 1, 2 and 3 College programs since 1990.

Consistently placed or won tournaments in Europe each year since 1981.High School teams won high honors and championships.

Coach of the year: 1990, State Coach 1990s: U-14 Boys ODP, U-17 ½ Boys, U-13 Girls North-West and other state teams and coach’s licensing programs.Ongoing associations with International organizations in professional soccer in England, Germany, Belgium and Italy

Arranged tryout for Dario Bros with Germany Professional Div. 1, Bayer- Levenkusen, which resulted in signing with Kaiser-Schlauten; US National Team; Kris Peat: Cleveland Crunch, Witchita Wings USA Professional Div. 1. US National Team: MVP Russia 1980;David Boutilier: Rutgers University;Tim Dahms: Div. 1 Columbia University Full alumni Scholarship; Kirk Peat: North Carolina State University Arranged tryout with Southampton, England;Div. 1 schools and scholarships: Bob Roche (Old Dominion, San Diego State), Joe and John Carrillo, (Onianta) Dan Perciballi, (Lehigh Valley) Chris LeFevre, John McDermott, (Seton Hall) as well as Div. 2 and 3 schools. Matt Roberts: US National Team, 5 year Scholarship Div.1,Kim Brandao, Lisette Brandao, Sarah Dwyer, and Cathy Able: participated in National Team Girls teams, Josh Brown (Lafayette, PA) Joe Strawman, Andrew Tauriello ( William Paterson, NJ) and many others.

Spartac International Soccer School continues to train and develop players of all ages to their highest potential through systematic training in technique and skills . The message of the school and its coaches is that the fundamental skills and dedication to the sport of Soccer, and the willingness to work toward developing to a higher level of play will ultimately bring each player to his fullest potential as a student of the Game and as a participant in Life. To help a child succeed in this way is the best career achievement of all, and the guiding premise to a life spent doing what he loved. Throughout his long career Heinz considered himself the luckiest man in the world.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Belinda and a son and daughter in law,Jeff and Michele of Clinton NJ.; 3 siblings, Helga Consten of Princeton, NJ, Marlena Zier of Haskell, NJ, a brother Alfred in Kansas, 2 grand children and 4 great grandchildren in Phoenix, AZ.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Wounded Warriors or the ASPCA in Heinz’s name. A memorial celebration of Heinz’s legacy will be held in the near future at his home in Pittstown. Comments may be left with Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home or on the Facebook page: The Legend of Heinz Consten