Jordan Ferrell

Ferrell played four years of college soccer at Cal State East Bay Pioneers from 2005 to 2008.{{Cite web|title=Jordan Ferrell - Men's Soccer|url=https://eastbaypioneers.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/jordan-ferrell/1253|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=Cal State East Bay University Athletics|language=en}} He was considered a leader for the team and during his final two years with the team he was the captain.{{Cite web|last=Tavares|first=Steven|date=October 9, 2008|title=The Maturation Of Jordan Ferrell|url=https://lunaticfringereport.blogspot.com/2008/10/maturation-of-jordan-ferrell.html|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=LUNATIC FRINGE REPORT}}

After graduating from college, Ferrell went on to play semi-professionally in Germany.{{Cite web|title=JORDAN FERRELL – Nürnberg, Germany|url=https://www.ifxsoccer.com/jordan-ferrell-nurnberg-germany/|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=IFX International Futbol X-Change|language=en-US}} While there he played for SG Quelle Fürth in the Landesliga Bayern-Mitte and SpVgg Ansbach in the Bayernliga.{{Cite web|title=BOL-Auftakt mit Fürther Derby|url=https://www.nordbayern.de/region/fuerth/bol-auftakt-mit-further-derby-1.1061546|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=nordbayern.de|language=de}}{{Cite web|title=Q&A: Oakland Roots Head Coach Jordan Ferrell {{!}} NorCal Premier|url=https://norcalpremier.com/qa-oakland-roots-head-coach-jordan-ferrell/|access-date=September 24, 2020|language=en-US}} While his time in Germany was relatively short, it inspired him to get into coaching.

Ferrell began his coaching career while he was playing with SpVgg Ansbach in Germany. While he was still playing with the first team he took a job working as an assistant with the U-17 team. Ferrell described it as an eye opening experience and he engrossed himself in the German coaching methods. After he decided to retire from playing soccer professionally, Ferrell had the option to stay on as a coach with Ansbach in their youth academy, however, he decided to return to the United States and became the technical director of Manteca FC in 2011.

While still working at Manteca FC, Ferrell became the head coach of the men's soccer program at San Joaquin Delta College.{{Cite web|title=Jordan Ferrell|url=https://exactsports.com/coaches/jordan-ferrell/|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=EXACT Sports|language=en}} In 2013, Ferrell joined the Pacific Tigers as an assistant coach for their men's soccer program.{{Cite web|title=Jordan Ferrell - Assistant Coach - Men's Soccer Coaches|url=https://pacifictigers.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/coaches/christopher-pond/178|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=University of the Pacific|language=en}} During his time as the assistant coach of the Tigers, Ferrell was also the technical director of the Central Valley Monarcas academy.{{Cite web|title=Q&A: Oakland Roots Head Coach Jordan Ferrell {{!}} NorCal Premier|url=https://norcalpremier.com/qa-oakland-roots-head-coach-jordan-ferrell/|access-date=October 11, 2020|language=en-US}} He spent four seasons with the Tigers before moving on to join the Sacramento Republic's youth academy.{{Cite web|last=Communications|first=Republic FC|date=April 27, 2020|title=Republic FC Academy Players have reaped the benefits of exposure to top coaches|url=https://www.sacrepublicfc.com/news_article/show/1102281-republic-fc-academy-players-have-reaped-the-benefits-of-exposure-to-top-coaches|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=Sacramento Republic FC - USL|language=en-us}} Among other roles in Sacramento's academy, Ferrell was the head coach of both the U-17 and U-19 sides.{{Cite web|last=Edreece|date=December 3, 2019|title=Jordan Ferrell Named Head Coach of Oakland Roots SC|url=https://www.oaklandrootssc.com/news_article/show/1122621-jordan-ferrell-named-head-coach-of-oakland-roots-sc|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=Oakland Roots SC|language=en-us}}

On July 5, 2019, it was announced that Ferrell would join the Oakland Roots a new professional club that would play in National Independent Soccer Association, a third-tier professional league.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} Ferrell joined head coach Paul Bravo, fellow assistant Larry Jackson, player-coach Víctor Bernárdez, and technical consultant Eric Yamamoto as Oakland's inaugural coaching staff.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}

On December 3, 2019, the Roots announced that Ferrell would serve as the team's new head coach after the team had parted ways with Bravo.{{Cite web|last=Edreece|date=December 3, 2019|title=Jordan Ferrell Named Head Coach of Oakland Roots SC|url=https://www.oaklandrootssc.com/news_article/show/1122621-jordan-ferrell-named-head-coach-of-oakland-roots-sc|access-date=September 25, 2020|website=Oakland Roots SC|language=en-us}}{{Cite web|last=SFGATE|first=Douglas Zimmerman|date=February 29, 2020|title=New Oakland Roots coach breaks pro soccer color barrier|url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Oakland-Roots-breaks-soccer-head-coaching-15090508.php|access-date=September 25, 2020|website=SFGate|language=en-US}} In his first campaign in charge of the Roots, Ferrell lead the team to a 1-1-0 record in NISA's fall season.{{Cite web|title=Fall 2020 Schedule {{!}} National Independent Soccer Association|url=https://nisaofficial.com/full-schedule|access-date=October 7, 2020|website=nisaofficial.com}} Ferrell further took the Roots to the NISA fall championship game, beating Chattanooga FC 3-2 and ultimately falling 2–1 to Detroit City FC in the championship.{{Cite web|title=Fall 2020 Schedule {{!}} National Independent Soccer Association|url=https://nisaofficial.com/full-schedule|access-date=October 7, 2020|website=nisaofficial.com}}

On November 16, 2020, Ferrell was named technical director of Oakland Roots and first team assistant Dario Pot named manager.{{Cite web|title=HEAD COACH JORDAN FERRELL BECOMES ROOTS' TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AS 1ST TEAM ASSISTANT COACH DARIO POT STEPS UP TO BE HEAD COACH|url=https://www.oaklandrootssc.com/news_article/show/1132301|access-date=April 26, 2021|website=oaklandrootssc.com|date=November 16, 2020}} On April 25, 2021, Ferrell took over as interim head coach (while still technical director) after Pot and the club mutually parted ways.{{cite web |title=Roots, Head Coach Dario Pot Part Ways |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1160153 |website=USLChampionship.com |date=April 25, 2021 |access-date=26 April 2021}} On May 20, 2021, the club removed the interim tag for the remainder of the 2021 season.{{cite web |title=ROOTS NAME JORDAN FERRELL FULL-TIME HEAD COACH FOR THE DURATION OF THE 2021 SEASON |url=https://www.oaklandrootssc.com/news_article/show/1164978 |website=OaklandRootsSC.com |access-date=20 May 2021}} After the signing of Juan Guerra as head coach, Ferrell was solely technical director again.{{cite web |title=OAKLAND ROOTS ANNOUNCE JUAN GUERRA AS THE CLUB'S NEW HEAD COACH |url=https://www.oaklandrootssc.com/news_article/show/1200713 |website=OaklandRootsSC.com |access-date=30 December 2021}}

At the time of his appointment to be the head coach of the Oakland Roots, Ferrell was one of two African American head coaches among the 82 professional soccer teams in the United States.

In an article published on The Players' Tribune, Ferrell spoke about what it meant to be an American-born black coach in Oakland, California, a city that "prides itself on the strength and the voice of its black community.{{Cite web|title=It's Our Time |url=https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/oakland-roots-soccer-jordan-ferrell-common-goal|access-date=September 25, 2020|website=The Players' Tribune|date=June 30, 2020 |language=en}} He wanted his side to make a positive difference in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. Ferrell started this by creating a space for his team to "be vulnerable, to be open and honest." He further announced that the entire Oakland Roots organization was joining Common Goal and would donate 1% of their salaries to organizations that use soccer to combat inequality and justice.

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{{Oakland Roots SC squad}}

{{Oakland Roots SC managers}}

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Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:American soccer coaches

Category:Cal State East Bay Pioneers men's soccer players

Category:Sportspeople from Stockton, California

Category:American expatriate men's soccer players in Germany

Category:SG Quelle Fürth players

Category:SpVgg Ansbach players

Category:Pacific Tigers men's soccer coaches

Category:American men's soccer players

Category:Oakland Roots SC coaches

Category:National Independent Soccer Association coaches

Category:USL Championship coaches

Category:American expatriate men's soccer players

Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position

Category:San Joaquin Delta College

Category:African-American sports coaches