Jean Willrich

Europe

Willrich, born in Koblenz, Germany, to a German mother and a French father, began playing club soccer at TuS Neuendorf and later joined Andernach before heading to Sportfreunde Eisbachtal. In 1976, he was signed by Dutch First Division club PSV Eindhoven. During the 1976–77 season, he saw action in only four games and was loaned to MVV Maastricht for the 1977–1978 season.

San Diego Sockers

In 1978, Willrich moved to the United States and signed with the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The Sockers had played the 1977 NASL season as the Las Vegas Quicksilvers before moving to San Diego and changing its name to the Sockers. In September 1978, he was loaned by German 2. Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel. In 1979 and 1980, the Sockers negotiated a deal with the Mexican Primera Division club UNAM Pumas to exchange players during the offseason. The Mexican league played in the fall, winter and early spring while the NASL played in the spring and summer. As part of this exchange, Willrich spent time with UNAM in 1979 and 1980. During its years playing outdoor soccer in the NASL, the Sockers were a decent, but not dominant team. The NASL introduced an indoor soccer season in 1979–80, however, San Diego did not participate. The following indoor season 1980–81, was the Sockers' first. That year they failed to qualify for the playoffs but the next year (1981–82, they swept to the championship. The NASL decided against an indoor season…

After retiring from playing professionally, Willrich started coaching in 1989. He coached the Rancho Bernardo High School soccer team and organized youth soccer camps and clinics in the San Diego area for many years. From 1997 to 2000, he was a coach with the U.S. Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP). He also coached at Scripps Ranch Soccer Club.