Mele French
FullnameMelelina Soline French[1]
Birth dateJune 15, 1984 (age 42)
Birth placeMililani, Hawaii, United States
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
PositionForward
Clubnumber29
Youthclubs 1Honolulu Bulls
Youthyears 11998–2003
College 1Oregon Ducks
Collegeyears 12002–2004
Collegecaps 147
Collegegoals 18
Clubs 1Pali Blues
Years 12008
Caps 111
Goals 12
Clubs 2Ajax America
Years 22008
Clubs 3Sky Blue FC
Years 32009
Caps 31
Goals 30
Clubs 4SC Freiburg
Years 42010
Caps 410
Goals 42
Clubs 5Western New York Flash
Years 52010–2011
Caps 512
Goals 57
Clubs 6Vancouver Whitecaps Women
Years 62012
Clubs 7Pali Blues
Years 72013
Clubs 8LA Blues
Years 82014
Goals 88
Club-update06:21, October 21, 2009 (UTC)
Nationalteam-update06:21, October 21, 2009 (UTC)

Melelina Soline "Mele" French (born June 15, 1984) is an American soccer forward who played for the NWSL's Seattle Reign FC and W-League's Seattle Sounders Women in 2015. French was named the W-League's Most Valuable Player for the 2014 season while playing for the LA Blues, also known as the Pali Blues.[2] She is currently the Director of Coaching at the Los Angeles Bulls Soccer Club, a youth soccer organization she co-founded with fellow soccer player Kelly Parker (formerly of the Canadian national team).[3]

Career

Prior to joining Santa Clarita Blue Heat[4] in 2016, French played for both Seattle Reign FC[5] and Seattle Sounders Women in 2015,[6][7] Pali Blues in 2013, helping the Blues win the W-League Western Conference on July 21 and the Championship on July 28,[8][9] LA Blues in 2014 where she helped the team win the W-League Western Conference and the Championship on July 27 and was selected as the W-League MVP for the season,[10] Vancouver Whitecaps Women[11] after being signed for the Whitecaps’ 2012 season on March 29, 2012, Western New York Flash[11] during their 2010 Championship season and 2011 season, German club SC Freiburg,[12] Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer[13] after being drafted 60th overall in the WPS 2009 draft, Ajax America,[14][15] and Pali Blues[16] in 2008,[17] scoring two goals and two assists to help the team win their first W-League Championship on August 2, 2008, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.

College

In college French played for the Oregon Ducks[18] for four years, scoring eight goals and three assists.

Coaching

French founded the Force Football Academy that develops youth soccer players in the Los Angeles region.[19] She also created and is the Director of Coaching at Chelsea Soccer Club LA, which is currently known as the Los Angeles Bulls Soccer Club, after it officially became its own organization in 2018.[20][21]

Personal life

French graduated from the University of Oregon in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in general business.[22][1]

References

  1. ^ "Two Kauaians among 49 University of Oregon grads from Hawaiʻi". The Garden Island. June 13, 2006. Archived December 23, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  2. ^ 2014 W-League Awards Winners Archived August 12, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "LA Bulls Staff". labulls.org/our-staff
  4. ^ "Santa Clarita signs 10 stars to 2016 side". www.uwssoccer.com/news_article/show/642791
  5. ^ "Reign call up French and Stanley for Sky Blue match". www.sounderatheart.com/platform/amp/seattle-reign/2015/5/8/8575581/reign-call-up-french-and-stanley-for-sky-blue-match. May 8, 2015.
  6. ^ "Mele French – Professional Soccer Player & Founder of Force Football Academy". forcefootballacademy.com
  7. ^ "Seattle Sounders News Item". www.sounderswomen.com/Team/NewsItem/54
  8. ^ "LA Blues Soccer Club". 2014-02-02. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  9. ^ "LA Blues Soccer Club". 2014-02-02. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  10. ^ "W-League MVP Mele French joins the Sounders Women". goalwa.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/w-league-mvp-mele-french-joins-the-sounders-women/
  11. ^ "Vancouver Whitecaps FC profile Mele French". www.whitecapsfc.com/women/mele-french
  12. ^ "Honolulu Bulls Alumni". honolulubulls.org/alumni/
  13. ^ "Wechselübersicht Frauenfußball Winter 2010". fansoccer.de
  14. ^ [1]Ajax Women roster 2008 October 22, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Women's Professional Soccer player profile Archived October 10, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Pali Blues player profile Archived July 8, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "Pali Blues 2008 roster". Archived from the original on May 6, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  18. ^ "Mele French". goducks.com
  19. ^ "Force Football Academy"
  20. ^ "LA Bulls Soccer Club". www.labulls.org
  21. ^ "LA Bulls Soccer Club on Instagram". instagram.com/losangelesbulls
  22. ^ "Mele French". Los Angeles Red Bulls Soccer Club. Archived January 27, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 23, 2021.