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George Lidster, the winningest coach in the 42-year history of GW men's soccer, is in his 20th season at the helm of the Colonials program. Lidster added to his legacy of success at GW in 2004, guiding his team to its second Atlantic 10 Championship in three years and the school's second-ever NCAA Tournament victory. Lidster has amassed a school record 161 victories in his 19 seasons and boasts a career mark of 161-153-44 (.511).
Under Lidster's direction, the Colonials have made three trips to the NCAA Tournament (1989, 2002, 2004) and 10 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament appearances, including winning league tournament titles in 2002 and 2004 and the 1992 regular-season championship. In 1989, he led GW to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and a team-record 14 victories, including a 3-1 decision against George Mason on Nov. 11, 1989, which marked the program's first NCAA Tournament triumph.
Lidster has been named the Atlantic 10 Coach of Year twice. He was recognized for the first time after the team's highly successful 1989 campaign, his third season at the helm of the program, and he earned co-Coach of the Year laurels after leading GW to its first regular-season A-10 title in 1992. In addition to his conference honors, Lidster was named the NCAA South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 1987, his first season in Foggy Bottom, after piloting the Colonials to a 10-5-3 overall record and an 8-0-2 mark in the conference. He was one of only eight regional coaches selected nationwide.
Early in his stint at GW, Lidster mentored two-time All-American Mario Lone, and had three of his players earn Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors (Kenny Emson in 1987, Lone in 1989 and 1991, and Marcelo Valencia in 1992). In addition, 20 players have earned a total of 35 all-conference accolades and eight players have earned A-10 all-rookie honors on his watch.
Many of Lidster's charges have also been recognized on the regional level, including Lone, Valencia, Ben Ferry, who owns the NCAA single-season assist record (24 in 1997), and most recently, Ben Mortimer, who was a third-team NSCAA South Atlantic All-Region pick in 2004. In addition to their on-the-field success, the Colonials also have been successful in the classroom under Lidster. His 2002 squad earned the prestigious NSCAA Academic Team Award for exceptional academic performance and current Colonials Greg McKay and Thomas Stuber were recognized on the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II Second Team last fall.
Lidster began his coaching career in 1984 as an assistant coach under Gordon Bradley at George Mason and helped the Patriots reach three NCAA Tournaments before taking the reins at GW in 1987.
A native of Durham, England, Lidster began his playing career with Newcastle United and Darlington FC before attending Loughborough University, where he received a teaching certificate in physical education in 1975. Lidster moved to the United States and received a bachelor's degree in communications in 1984 from the University of Illinois-Springfield (formerly Sangamon State), where he was an All-American soccer player and earned team MVP honors.
Lidster continued his playing career in the Washington-metro area, helping the Fairfax Spartans to the National Amateur Cup crown in 1986, along with former U.S. National Team members Desmond Armstrong, John Kerr Jr., Bruce Murray and Bruce Stohlmeyer. He later served as a player and assistant coach with the Washington Stars of the American Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League, and captained the 1988 ASL All-Star team in the league's inaugural season.
Lidster remained on the pitch after the demise of the APSL, serving as assistant coach and captain of the Richmond Kickers of the USISL in 1994-95 and the USISL's Washington Mustangs in 1995-96.
Lidster continued coaching during a year-long sabbatical in England from June 1997 until July 1998, working in the community schemes of Milwall FC and Chelsea FC of the English Premier League. He also directed coaching courses and soccer academies, identifying and developing players throughout the south of England.
Currently, Lidster runs several youth soccer camps and clinics in the Washington, DC area and across the country. He also is serving his second term on the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer South Atlantic Regional Advisory Committee, a position he has held for the last four years.
Lidster has two sons, Matthew, 20, and Daniel, 17, and resides in Alexandria, VA.
