Former Dartmouth soccer coach Bobby Clark was recently recognized for his remarkable career by the New Hampshire Soccer Association which will induct him into the New Hampshire Soccer Hall of Fame April 28.
Clark has followed his love for the sport of soccer around the world all his life, leaving a trail of admirers from Scotland to Zimbabwe to America to New Zealand and back.
The honor came at the same time that Clark was named Director of Soccer at Stanford University. This announcement was made Monday by Stanford Athletic Director Ted Leland.
In a recent press release Leland said, "In Bobby Clark, I believe Stanford has one of the most respected soccer coaches in the world. He brings with him experience as a player and coach both on the national and international levels."
Leland was Athletic Director at Dartmouth when Clark began coaching the Big Green in 1985. At that time, "We brought Bobby in somewhat as a lark," Leland said. Now hiring Clark for the second time, Leland has had no doubts about the decision.
A native of Scotland, Clark has been involved with soccer for most of his life. He played goalie for the Aberdeen of Scottish Premier League World Cup team from 1965 until 1982.
He also played professionally in America in 1967 for the Washington Whips and for the San Antonio Thunder in 1976.
Following this stage in his professional career Clark decided to make his first big move. This landed him in Zimbabwe coaching with the Bulawayo Highlanders Football Club.
After coaching in Zimbabwe, Clark came to the United States looking for a job and got in touch with Leland, then Athletic Director at Dartmouth.
At this point Leland made perhaps one of the most influential decisions in the history of Dartmouth soccer by hiring Clark.
Clark coached the Big Green team from 1985 until 1994. When he came to the program it was "in neutral," current Athletic Director Dick Jaeger said.
Clark aimed to make Dartmouth the best place to play soccer in the Ivy League.
Over the course of nine years, he managed to do exactly that.
During the first 30 years of formal conference competition the Big Green soccer team had won only one Ivy League championship. Under Clark, the team won three championships in a period of five years.
Clark finished his nine years with an overall record of 82-42-13, and a league record of 36-21-6, the best record of any coach in the history of the program.
In addition to this Clark led the team to two appearances in the NCAA championships, one in 1990 and the other in 1992.
Both years the team advanced to the quarterfinal round, losing in 1990 to eventual finalist Rutgers and in 1992 to eventual champion Virginia.
Clark's list of achievements goes on. During each of his last four years at Dartmouth his team was ranked among the top 10 in the nation.
Twice he was named NCAA Region I Coach of the Year and he was chosen as Coach of the Year by the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 1993.
But, as all good things must come to an end, Clark chose to leave Dartmouth after the 1993 season in favor of moving to New Zealand to coach the national team. In a letter dated January 19, 1994, Clark wrote the following:
"Coaching at Dartmouth has been without a doubt one of the greatest times of my life. The three championships and the two NCAA Tournament quarterfinals were special times. I hope that these were a part of the fun, but not the important part. The important part was working together ... Dartmouth Soccer has always been about the people involved ... I hope you will understand that for me there is no other college where I could have been as happy."
Clark moved to New Zealand in 1994 where he was in charge of each of the country's select teams. He was the head coach of the national team and the Under-23 Olympic hopeful squad.
But in his new position he had not forgotten about Dartmouth.
"I miss it," he said at the time. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't. To come back [to Hanover] at this time of year, with everything all green, you look around and say 'Wow!'"
Clark stopped coaching for New Zealand last December and came back to the U.S. once again. It was at this point that Leland "rediscovered" Bobby Clark and seized the opportunity to work with him once again.
Dick Jaeger said that Stanford is certainly lucky to have Clark. In his words, Clark was "the epitome of a fantastic coach. He was a gentleman who had great rapport with the players. He knew the game well. Everyone liked him."
Jaeger also admired Clark's "philosophical attitude" towards his work. "He had high regard for the ideals of soccer," Jaeger said.
One of Clark's most distinguishing features was his outlook on the role of athletics. He had a "good perspective on the role of athletics in a liberal arts education," Jaeger said. And through the ups and downs of the developing Dartmouth soccer program "he kept the kids upbeat. That's what made him such a great coach. He should be able to do great things at Stanford."
Clark will be honored by the New Hampshire Soccer Hall of Fame at its annual banquet in Manchester, N.H. April 28 for his legendary contribution to the sport.
