
Currently
Benny Artiaga is the Head Coach for the Cerritos College Men’s Team.
He also serves as the Director of Soccer for Cerritos College. The program
is one of the dominant men’s teams in California having played in
two state title games and finishing ranked 3rd in the Nation (2004), 2nd
in the Nation (2006), and 6th nationally in 2007. Including a program
first state title in 2006.
The success at the collegiate level and a State championship also brought
a lot of accolades, as Artiaga has been voted the South Coast Conference
Coach of the Year, Far West Coach of the Year, and NSCAA Junior College
National Coach of the Year (one of only 3 California coaches to do so
alongside Beach Director Mauricio Ingrassia).
Artiaga holds a national Class B license from the United States Soccer
Federation (USSF), National Fitness Level 1 diploma, also from USSF, and
an advanced diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA).
Artiaga played soccer for two JC programs Cerritos and LBCC, while during
his time enlisted in the military, he captained the United States Navy
team to a silver medal in the 1996 RIMPAC Hawaii Tournament against Chile
and participated against various select regional teams across the country,
including a 1996 Armed Services Cup.
Artiaga graduated from USC in 2003 with a Bachelor’s degree in Public
Relations and an emphasis in Sports Journalism. He completed his Master’s
degree in Kinesiology/Sports Management from Long Beach State in 2005
and is currently working on his doctoral degree in Sports Psychology from
the University of San Diego.
Professionally, he has worked for the Los Angeles Galaxy as a Staff coach
and in their Public Relations department. He has also worked in the USC
Sports Information Office under Mike Garrett and Tim Tessalone, while
also working as a personal fitness trainer for USC for three years training
many athletes from various sports. Artiaga also serves on the coaching
staff at Los Alamitos High boy’s soccer team where the Los Al boys
team has won three consecutive conference championships and reached two
Division 1 final fours including a top 10 national ranking. Benny is single
with no children and enjoys working out in his spare time and playing
a lot of basketball.
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