In Loving Memory

The Indigenous Soccer Cup is deticated in loving memory of Vaughn Aldrich Lujan. Vaughn was born March 25, 2006 and died April 19, 2008 after a brief illness. In Vaughn’s short life he demonstrated a powerful love for soccer. His parents could often find him dribbling a ball through the house and scoring "goals". Vaughn’s determination was evident, even at such a young age.

Vaughn’s father, Arron Lujan (Kiowa/Taos), grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico. A member of the ISC Council and chair of the Native American Soccer Coaches Committee, Arron has been coaching soccer at the collegiate level for the past five years. After serving as the assisitant coach for Princeton University’s men’s soccer team for the past three years, Arron was recently named head men’s soccer coach at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

As a lifelong player and as a coach Arron has always recognized the positive impact that sport of soccer can have on the lives of children and youth, both on and off the field. It is the Lujan family’s wish that Vaughn’s spirirt and love for soccer live on through the ISC and that Native American children and youth are always able to find a similar joy through the beautiful game of soccer.

In that spirit, Arron and his wife, Heather, have asked friends and family to make contributions to SYS and the ISC. Those funds will be used to provide other Native American children with the opportunity to benefit from the game of soccer for years to come.