Photo by: Owen Main
Jeon, Gates-Bowes Join Cal Poly as Assistant Coaches
3/20/2023 10:59:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – First-year Cal Poly men's soccer head coach Oige Kennedy completed his staff for the upcoming season recently with the announcement that Woo Jeon and Christy Gates-Bowes have joined as assistant coaches.
A four-time NCAA Championship participant as a forward with Division III Kenyon College, Jeon joins Cal Poly following a two-year stint at Division II MSU Denver. A former youth coach with Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Gates-Bowes arrives after spending the last three seasons as an assistant with UC Santa Barbara.
Woo Jeon
Joining MSU Denver's coaching staff as a volunteer assistant in August 2021, Jeon was promoted to assistant coach ahead of the 2022 season. During his initial 2021 season, Jeon helped MSU Denver qualify for the RMAC Tournament – its first postseason appearance in three years. Last fall, MSU Denver's 10-6-2 overall finish marked the program's highest victory total since 2016.
Prior to MSU Denver, Jeon spent three years as associate head coach with the Black Rock FC Residential Academy (Lake Placid, N.Y.). Helping to produce eight high school All-America selections, Jeon directed his age-group side to a No. 2 national ranking in the TopDrawerSoccer.com prep high school poll during his first year. Concurrently an associate head coach with Black Rock FC's USL League Two squad, Jeon also lifted his youth team to a 2019/20 IMG Cup U-20 championship and a semifinal finish in the U-19 Dallas Cup.
Producer of 21 career goals and 18 assists as a standout with Kenyon College (Gambier, Ohio), Jeon helped the Lords to back-to-back NCAA Division III Championship quarterfinal appearances (2015-16) and a round of 16 showing in 2014. With Jeon starting in 53 of 86 career appearances, Kenyon recorded a combined 73-10-6 mark, finished 32-3-1 in North Coast Athletic Conference matches and captured three NCAC regular season and tournament titles.
A member of the Madison (Wisc.) 56ers (United Premier Soccer League) side that captured the 2014 U-18 Wisconsin State Cup title, Jeon also captained Madison West HS where he helped the squad to a state tournament semifinal appearance during his senior season.
Christy Gates-Bowes
Having coached against Cal Poly multiple times as an assistant with UC Santa Barbara the last three years, Gates-Bowes helped the Gauchos to the 2021 Big West Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Prior to arriving at UC Santa Barbara, Gates-Bowes served as an assistant coach with Santa Barbara City College (2018-20) and helped the program to back-to-back CCCAA SoCal Regional tournament appearances.
Gates-Bowes began his coaching career with Brighton & Hove Albion FC, coaching in the club's youth development programs. He then worked with the men's program at the University of Sussex before relocating to the United States in 2015 when he started in technical department with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association.
He holds the academy director position with the Santa Barbara Soccer Club where he oversees the boy's MLS Elite Youth Development platform.
A native of Brighton, England, Gates-Bowes – who holds a USSF A License and a UEFA B License – played for Brighton, Hove and Sussex College.
A four-time NCAA Championship participant as a forward with Division III Kenyon College, Jeon joins Cal Poly following a two-year stint at Division II MSU Denver. A former youth coach with Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Gates-Bowes arrives after spending the last three seasons as an assistant with UC Santa Barbara.
Woo Jeon
Joining MSU Denver's coaching staff as a volunteer assistant in August 2021, Jeon was promoted to assistant coach ahead of the 2022 season. During his initial 2021 season, Jeon helped MSU Denver qualify for the RMAC Tournament – its first postseason appearance in three years. Last fall, MSU Denver's 10-6-2 overall finish marked the program's highest victory total since 2016.
Prior to MSU Denver, Jeon spent three years as associate head coach with the Black Rock FC Residential Academy (Lake Placid, N.Y.). Helping to produce eight high school All-America selections, Jeon directed his age-group side to a No. 2 national ranking in the TopDrawerSoccer.com prep high school poll during his first year. Concurrently an associate head coach with Black Rock FC's USL League Two squad, Jeon also lifted his youth team to a 2019/20 IMG Cup U-20 championship and a semifinal finish in the U-19 Dallas Cup.
Producer of 21 career goals and 18 assists as a standout with Kenyon College (Gambier, Ohio), Jeon helped the Lords to back-to-back NCAA Division III Championship quarterfinal appearances (2015-16) and a round of 16 showing in 2014. With Jeon starting in 53 of 86 career appearances, Kenyon recorded a combined 73-10-6 mark, finished 32-3-1 in North Coast Athletic Conference matches and captured three NCAC regular season and tournament titles.
A member of the Madison (Wisc.) 56ers (United Premier Soccer League) side that captured the 2014 U-18 Wisconsin State Cup title, Jeon also captained Madison West HS where he helped the squad to a state tournament semifinal appearance during his senior season.
Christy Gates-Bowes
Having coached against Cal Poly multiple times as an assistant with UC Santa Barbara the last three years, Gates-Bowes helped the Gauchos to the 2021 Big West Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Prior to arriving at UC Santa Barbara, Gates-Bowes served as an assistant coach with Santa Barbara City College (2018-20) and helped the program to back-to-back CCCAA SoCal Regional tournament appearances.
Gates-Bowes began his coaching career with Brighton & Hove Albion FC, coaching in the club's youth development programs. He then worked with the men's program at the University of Sussex before relocating to the United States in 2015 when he started in technical department with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association.
He holds the academy director position with the Santa Barbara Soccer Club where he oversees the boy's MLS Elite Youth Development platform.
A native of Brighton, England, Gates-Bowes – who holds a USSF A License and a UEFA B License – played for Brighton, Hove and Sussex College.
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