History
For over 40 years Cherif Zein has been working with soccer players from all over the world. He is currently the coach at CZ Elite Soccer Club and High School Pasadena Boys soccer program. He as coached championship teams at both the club and and collegiate levels. His players have matured into top-flight division 1 collegiate players for the top colleges in the country as well as their countries national teams and professional clubs throughout the world.
CZ Elite is competing in all age groups in the league and competing well. CZ Elite offers the finest training including specialized sessions for goal keepers, shooting, foot skills and bi-annual camps. The CZ Elite system offers the best training for area soccer players to achieve their goals and play at the highest level.
The Cherif Soccer Foundation, Inc. was created in 2005, in an effort to provide quality club soccer as well as superior training. The Director of the Foundation, Cherif Zein, has over thirty years of experience developing soccer players at the club level as well as several universities, high schools and community collages. Prior to developing the Cherif Soccer Foundation, Cherif was the Technical Director for F.C. Barcelona U.S.A., which was founded in 1999. Many of his players have become professional players at the international level and the MLS (Major League Soccer). Others have received scholarships to play at the collage level.
Under Cherif’s tutelage, his teams have won numerous State Championships and Premier Tournament Competitions. Because of their success, many of his teams are nationally ranked and are invited to compete in the most prestigious tournaments in the United States and throughout the world. Cherif’s teams have traveled to such distant locations as Brazil, Spain, France, Italy, Costa Rica, Cuba and Egypt. Cherif’s teams successfully compete in the Coast Soccer League, which is considered the top league in California and the country.
Through the Cherif Soccer Foundation, many international tours will continue to be organized every year. While these tours are arranged to compete against the top teams from other countries, they are instrumental in providing diverse cultural experiences for children, many of whom lack the economic advantage of such travel. Further, Cherif has made a conscious and successful effort at brining together children and coaches from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds to work together as a united entity. Through the international tours, Cherif’s teams have shattered the cultural, political and religious barriers that have existed in the past.
Many of the children on Cheirf’s teams are unable to meet the raising financial demands necessary to successfully operate soccer clubs today. Such costs include uniforms, league registrations, tournaments, both locally and abroad, field permits and lighting and referee fees. With the exception of a small percentage of team parents, much of the financial burden falls on a few kind sponsors with whom we have developed a tremendous rapport over the years. We are endeavoring to reach out to the community to further assists us in achieving our goals. The Cherif Soccer Foundation has developed superior athletes while offering an invaluable cultural education.