The players wore red, the coach wore black, and any connection to San Diego State colors was more than coincidental for one Arsenal team at the 28th annual Surf Cup youth soccer tournament yesterday.

Arsenal coach Cle Kooiman fondly recounts his college days in an Aztecs uniform as the launching point for a pro career that included playing on the U.S. national team and in Mexico, All-Star status in Major League Soccer, and even time with the indoor game.

“It's nice to sport my old colors, absolutely,” said Kooiman, who played two seasons at SDSU before turning pro after the 1982 season. “I come down to all the alumni stuff and just have an absolute blast down here. I have great memories with (former coaches) George Logan and Chuck Clegg.”

Kooiman has returned to town this time to guide the Arsenal girls from his hometown of Alta Loma in the Under-12 age division in the three-day event, which concludes today for U-15 teams and younger at the San Diego Polo Club.

The Arsenal team, which won the Under-11 division last year, completed a sweep of its three pool games yesterday with a 5-0 victory over Elk Grove Everton.

Kelci Dantu, on loan from the local Scripps United club, scored the last two goals, and goalkeeper Charlee Pruitt recorded her third straight shutout.

“Cle has a wealth of experience, playing professionally along with coaching,” said Arsenal team manager Michelle Stark. “He's outstanding with the children.”

Kooiman, 44, turned to coaching when his playing career ended in 1998 because of a knee injury. Along with club coaching, he spent three years as an assistant with the national boys U-20 team, tutoring Freddie Adu, among other future national team members.

In high school, Kooiman studied German for four years in anticipation of possibly playing in Europe, but these days, he speaks some Spanish to his players as a result of his five seasons with Cruz Azul in Mexico.

“My life went south,” said Kooiman, who would return to play with Tampa Bay and Miami in Major League Soccer. “I learned a very technical, tight, clean soccer there with a little bit of flair. I try to instill that in my players.”

Along with the basics that he mastered at San Diego State.