View source for John Hackworth

{{short description|American soccer coach (born 1970)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Hackworth
| image = 
| caption = 
| fullname = John Christopher Hackworth
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|2|5}}
| birth_place = [[Dunedin, Florida]], [[United States]]
| position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| currentclub = 
| collegeyears1 = 1989–1990
| college1 = [[Brevard College|Brevard Tornados]]
| collegeyears2 = 1991–1992
| college2 = [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer|Wake Forest Demon Deacons]]
| years1 = 1992–1994
| clubs1 = Carolina Crunch
| caps1 = 
| goals1 = 
| years2 = 1997
| clubs2 = [[Carolina Dynamo]]
| caps2 = 1
| goals2 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1994
| managerclubs1 = [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons women's soccer|Wake Forest Demon Deacons]] (women's assistant)
| manageryears2 = 1994–1997
| managerclubs2 = [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer|Wake Forest Demon Deacons]] (men's assistant)
| manageryears3 = 1998–2001
| managerclubs3 = [[South Florida Bulls men's soccer|South Florida Bulls]]
| manageryears4 = 2002–2004
| managerclubs4 = [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U17]] (assistant)
| manageryears5 = 2004–2007
| managerclubs5 = [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U17]]
| manageryears6 = 2007–2009
| managerclubs6 = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] (assistant)
| manageryears7 = 2010–2012
| managerclubs7 = [[Philadelphia Union]] (assistant)
| manageryears8 = 2012–2014
| managerclubs8 = [[Philadelphia Union]]
| manageryears9 = 2015–2018
| managerclubs9 = [[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U17]]
| manageryears10 = 2017–2018
| managerclubs10 = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] (assistant)
| manageryears11 = 2018–2021
| managerclubs11 = [[Louisville City FC|Louisville City]]
| manageryears12 = 2022
| managerclubs12 = [[St. Louis City SC 2|St. Louis City 2]] (interim)
| manageryears13 = 2023–2024
| managerclubs13 = [[St. Louis City SC|St. Louis City]] (assistant)
| manageryears14 = 2024
| managerclubs14 = [[St. Louis City SC|St. Louis City]] (interim)
| manageryears15 = 2025–
| managerclubs15 = [[St. Louis City SC 2|St. Louis City 2]] (interim)
}}

'''John Hackworth''' (born February 5, 1970, in [[Dunedin, Florida]]) is an American [[association football|soccer]] [[Coach (sport)|coach]] who is currently the Technical Director for [[St. Louis City SC]] of [[Major League Soccer]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sellem |first1=Lucas |title=CITY SC parts ways with Carnell |url=https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/07/01/city-sc-sack-carnell-hackworth-take-over/ |website=First Alert 4 |access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>

==Player==
Hackworth graduated from Dunedin High School in his Florida hometown. He began his collegiate soccer career at [[Brevard College Stone Fence and Gate|Brevard College]] in 1988 and 1989. In 1990, he transferred to [[Wake Forest University]] where he redshirted and played in 1991 and 1992. 
 
Hackworth then played several years in the United States Development Soccer League. In 1997, his amateur team, La Correta, played against the [[Carolina Dynamo]] of the [[A-League (1995–2004)|A-League]] in a game where Hackworth shut down the Trinidad & Tobago international [[Stern John]].  As a result, the Dynamo signed him for the rest of the season.  Hackworth spent most of the season as a reserve, but played one game as the Dynamo finished runner-up in the championship.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.carolinadynamo.com/06_Alltime_player_stats.doc |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226130513/http://www.carolinadynamo.com/06_Alltime_player_stats.doc |archive-date=2017-12-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1997.html#aleague|title=The Year in American Soccer, 1997|website=Homepages.sover.net|access-date=20 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218145254/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1997.html#aleague|archive-date=18 December 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Coach==

=== Wake Forest & South Florida ===
By the time Hackworth retired from playing in 1997, he had already spent several years coaching.  In 1993, [[Wake Forest University]] hired Hackworth as an assistant coach with the women's soccer team.  In 1994, he became an assistant with the men's team.  In 1998, the [[University of South Florida]] hired Hackworth as head coach. During his four-year tenure, he took the team to two NCCA tournament appearances and compiled a 47–32–2 record.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/042402aaa.html |title=USF Men's Soccer Coach John Hackworth Resigns – Conference USA Official Athletic Site |publisher=Conferenceusa.cstv.com |date=2002-04-24 |access-date=2013-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226025254/http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/042402aaa.html |archive-date=2012-02-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2002, Hackworth became an assistant to [[United States U-17 men's national soccer team]] coach [[John Ellinger]].<ref name="urlUSF MENS SOCCER">{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/157183371.html?dids=157183371:157183371&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+30%2C+2002&author=PETE+YOUNG&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=USF+MEN%27S+SOCCER&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201014003/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/157183371.html?dids=157183371:157183371&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+30,+2002&author=PETE+YOUNG&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=USF+MEN'S+SOCCER&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 1, 2013 |title=USF MEN'S SOCCER St. Petersburg Times – St. Petersburg, Fla. PETE YOUNG Aug 30, 2002|work= St. Petersburg Times|access-date=2010-10-28 |date=August 30, 2002}}</ref>

=== United States U-17 National Team ===
In 2004, when Ellinger left to become head coach at [[Real Salt Lake]], USMNT head coach [[Bruce Arena]] appointed Hackworth to become the U-17 head coach. He coached the team at the [[FIFA U-17 World Cup]] in 2005 and 2007.   In the [[2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup|2005 U-17 World Cup]] in Peru, Hackworth and the United States topped their group but lost to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. In 2007, they finished second in their group but fell to the eventual third-place finisher, Germany, in the Round of 16. 
 
Following the 2007 U-17 World Cup, Hackworth joined [[Bob Bradley]]’s coaching staff as an assistant with the senior [[United States Men's National Team in the Bob Bradley Era|United States Men's National Team]]. During his time with the National Team, he also served as the technical director of the U.S. Development Academy.

=== Assistant with USMNT ===
As an assistant coach, Hackworth and the United States Men's National Team finished second in the [[2009 FIFA Confederations Cup|2009 Confederations Cup]], including a 2–0 victory over Spain in the semifinal, breaking the Spaniards' 35-game unbeaten streak and 15-game winning streak. Hackworth was also with the National Team as it qualified for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]] in South Africa in October 2009.

=== Philadelphia Union ===
On November 9, 2009, Hackworth joined former U.S. Soccer colleague [[Piotr Nowak]] with the [[Major League Soccer|MLS]] expansion side [[Philadelphia Union]] as a coach and youth development coordinator. With that, Hackworth forwent going to the 2010 World Cup with the USMNT.

On June 13, 2012, Hackworth was announced as the Philadelphia Union's new interim coach. The club subsequently advanced to the 2012 [[U.S. Open Cup]] semifinals. Hackworth was given the title permanently on Aug. 30.

In his first full season in charge of the Union, the squad ranked as high as second in the [[Eastern Conference (MLS)|Eastern Conference]] the week of June 24 but failed to reach the playoffs by three points.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Major League Soccer|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/weekly/2013/conferences|access-date=|website=}}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On June 10, 2014, he was relieved of his duties as team manager.

=== Return to U.S. Soccer ===
Following his time with the Union, Hackworth was hired to be the United States U-15 head coach. Jürgen Klinsmann appointed Hackworth as an assistant to [[Andi Herzog|Andy Herzog]] for the U.S. Olympic Team. 
 
In December 2015, Hackworth was re-hired as U-17 National Team coach ahead of the [[2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup]] in India and also oversaw the U.S. U-17 Residency Program. The United States advanced to the knockout round, where they defeated Paraguay by a 5–0 score. They lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual tournament champions, England. At that tournament, he coached notable United States internationals [[Sergiño Dest]], [[Josh Sargent]], and [[Timothy Weah]].
 
From December 2017 through August 2018, Hackworth returned as an assistant coach with the senior national team.

=== Louisville City FC ===
On August 2, 2018, Hackworth officially signed on as head coach for [[Louisville City FC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.louisvillecityfc.com/news_article/show/938932-louisville-city-fc-appoints-john-hackworth-as-head-coach|title=Louisville City FC Appoints John Hackworth as Head Coach|last=LouCity|date=2 August 2018|website=Louisville City FC|access-date=20 May 2019}}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> As the head coach, he led the team to a USL Championship title in 2018, guided them back to the final in 2019 and in 2020 saw LouCity post the Eastern Conference's best regular-season record.

On April 27, 2021, it was announced that Hackworth and Louisville City had mutually terminated his contract and replaced by [[Danny Cruz]]. This came just three days after Louisville opened their [[2021 Louisville City FC season|2021 season]] with a win over [[Atlanta United 2]].<ref>{{cite web |title=CRUZ ASSUMES INTERIM HEAD COACHING POSITION WITH LOUCITY |url=https://www.loucity.com/news_article/show/1160516 |website=LouCity.com |access-date=27 April 2021}}</ref>

=== St. Louis City SC ===
In October 2021, Hackworth was named director of coaching for [[Major League Soccer]] expansion club [[St. Louis City SC]].<ref>{{cite web |title=John Hackworth named St. Louis CITY SC's director of coaching |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/john-hackworth-hired-as-st-louis-city-sc-s-director-of-coaching |website=MLSSoccer.com |access-date=14 January 2022}}</ref>

On January 14, 2022, it was announced that Hackworth would serve as interim head coach for the club's [[MLS Next Pro]] side for its inaugural 2022 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 ST. LOUIS NEXT PRO COACHING STAFF ANNOUNCED |url=https://www.stlcitysc.com/2022-st-louis-mls-next-pro-coaching-staff-announced/ |website=STLCitySC.com |access-date=14 January 2022}}</ref> In 2023, Hackworth returned to his role as Director of Coaching for the MLS side's inaugural season,<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Louis CITY SC First-Team Staff Announcements |url=https://www.stlcitysc.com/news/st-louis-city-sc-first-team-staff-announcements |website=STLCitySC.com |publisher=[[St. Louis City SC]] |date=January 10, 2023 |access-date=May 28, 2025}}</ref> replaced as head coach of City 2 by [[Bobby_Murphy_(soccer)|Bobby Murphy]].<ref>{{cite web |title=St Louis CITY2 Announces Coaching Staff For 2023 Season |url=https://www.stlcitysc.com/news/st-louis-city2-announces-coaching-staff-for-2023-season |website=STLCitySC.com |publisher=[[St. Louis City SC]] |access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref>

On July 1, 2024, Hackworth was named the interim head coach for St. Louis City SC after the club let go of head coach [[Bradley Carnell]]. Hackworth served in the role until the club named [[Olof Mellberg]] permanent head coach on November 26, 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sigal |first=Jonathan |date=November 26, 2024 |title=St. Louis CITY name Olof Mellberg head coach |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/st-louis-city-name-olof-mellberg-head-coach |access-date=March 31, 2025 |website=mlssoccer.com}}</ref> at which point Hackworth returned to his role as technical director for the club. Upon Mellberg's firing on May 28, 2025, [[St. Louis City 2]] head coach David Critchley was named interim head coach for the MLS club while Hackworth returned to City 2 as the club's interim coach.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Timmermann |first=Tom |date=May 28, 2025 |title=St. Louis City SC fires Olof Mellberg as coach after 15 games; Critchley to run team |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/professional/mls/city-sc/article_4f2da82d-7bc8-454f-a821-6d3a39824415.html |access-date=May 28, 2025 |website=stltoday.com}}</ref>

==Honors & Awards==
While coaching at the University of South Florida, Hackworth was the chairman of the [[Conference USA]]'s men's soccer committee. In 2000 he was a member of the [[NCAA Selection Committee|NCAA selection committee]].
 
In 2008, Hackworth was recognized as the U.S. Soccer Committee Developmental Coach of the Year for soccer.

==Managerial statistics==

===Manager===
{{updated|June 28, 2025}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From
!rowspan=2|To
!colspan=5|Record
|-
!G!!W!!L!!D!!Win %
|-
|align=left|[[South Florida Bulls men's soccer|South Florida Bulls]]
|align=left|1998
|align=left|2001
||81||47||32||2|| {{#expr: 47 / 81 * 100 round 2}}
|-
|align=left|[[Philadelphia Union]]
|align=left|2012
|align=left|2014
||57||20||23||14|| {{#expr: 20 / 57 * 100 round 2}}
|-
|align=left|[[United States men's national under-17 soccer team|United States U-17]]
|align=left|2004
|align=left|2018*
||26||16||7||3|| {{#expr: 16 / 26 * 100 round 2}}
|-
|align=left|[[Louisville City FC]]
|align=left|2018
|align=left|2021
|78
|48
|16
|14
| {{#expr: 48 / 78 * 100 round 2}}
|-
|align=left|[[St. Louis City 2]]
|align=left|2022
|align=left|2022
|28
|17
|8
|3
| {{#expr: 17 / 28 * 100 round 2}}
|-
|align=left|[[St. Louis City SC]] <small>''(interim)''</small> 
|align=left|2024
|align=left|2024
|18
|7
|7
|4
| {{#expr: 7 / 18 * 100 round 2}}
|-
|align=left|St. Louis City 2 <small>''(interim)''</small> 
|align=left|2025
|align=left|present
|4
|4
|0
|0
| {{#expr: 1 / 1 * 100 round 2}}
|-
!colspan=3|Total
! 285 !! 155 !! 94 !! 36 !! {{#expr: 155 / 285 * 100 round 2}}
|}
{{small|*U.S. U-17 head coach includes Concacaf World Cup qualifying and U-17 World Cup for two stints, from 2004–2007 and 2015–2018}}

==Honors==
===Manager===
'''[[Louisville City FC]]'''
*[[United Soccer League#Champions|USL Cup]] (1): [[2018 USL season|2018]]<ref name='2018TitleMatch'>{{cite web|url=https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/966965|title=Spencer's Strike Leads Louisville to Second Straight USL Cup|last=Arlia|first=John|date=8 November 2018|website=Uslsoccer.com|publisher=USL|access-date=8 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109043206/https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/966965|archive-date=9 November 2018|url-status=live|location=Louisville, KY|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

'''[[St. Louis City 2]]'''
* '''MLS Next Pro Western Conference'''
** '''Winners (regular season):''' [[2022 MLS Next Pro season|2022]]
** '''Winners (playoffs):''' [[2022 MLS Next Pro season|2022]]
* '''Western Conference Frontier Division'''
** '''Winners:''' [[2022 MLS Next Pro season|2022]]

===Individual===
*USL Coach of the Month: [[2020 USL Championship season#Individual Awards|September/October 2020]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/soccer/louisville-city-fc/2020/10/14/louisville-city-fcs-john-hackworth-named-coach-month/3654401001/ |url-access=limited |title=LouCity's John Hackworth earns Coach of the Month honors |last=Saxon |first=Jonathon |date=2020-10-14  |website=www.courier-journal.com |publisher=Louisville Courier Journal |location=Louisville, KY |df=mdy-all|access-date=2020-10-17 }}</ref>

==Personal==
John is the father of 3 boys. Two of his children play soccer professionally. His son, [[Morgan Hackworth]], started his career as a professional player in 2019 and Larsen Hackworth started his career in 2023 at St. Louis City 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.memphis901fc.com/news_article/show/989850|title=Memphis 901 FC Signs NCAA Runner-Up Morgan Hackworth|website=Memphis901fc.com|accessdate=April 28, 2019|archive-date=August 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804024800/https://www.memphis901fc.com/news_article/show/989850|url-status=dead}}</ref> His son Keaton Hackworth is an admissions counselor at Washington University in St. Louis.

He is an avid cyclist and has been participating in bike races since the late 1980s. After moving to St. Louis, Hackworth joined the local cycling team “Kewlbeanz Cycling”. His most notable result on the team so far is 4th place at the Carondelicious Criterium (Masters 50+). His wife, Tricia Hackworth, supports him in his racing efforts by handing him nutrition during endurance races. He recently has dipped his toes in the gravel racing scene by participating in the national gravel race “Mid South”. He placed 207th out of 1,211 starters.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{South Florida Bulls men's soccer coach navbox}}
{{Conference USA Men's Soccer Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{Philadelphia Union managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackworth, John}}
[[Category:American soccer coaches]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:North Carolina Fusion U23 players]]
[[Category:Brevard Tornados men's soccer players]]
[[Category:South Florida Bulls men's soccer coaches]]
[[Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Union head coaches]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Union non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Florida]]
[[Category:People from Pinellas County, Florida]]
[[Category:Louisville City FC coaches]]
[[Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons women's soccer coaches]]
[[Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer coaches]]
[[Category:St. Louis City 2]]
[[Category:St. Louis City SC]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:St. Louis City SC head coaches]]