CFC Assistant Coach Chris Nugent Enjoys Week of a Lifetime

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Chattanooga FC assistant coach Chris Nugent has had one of the biggest years in his life, and he only needed a week to do it.

News 12’s Brian Armstrong takes us on a cross country adventure of becoming a U-S citizen, coaching a game in San Diego, and then flying to run the Boston marathon!

Said Nugent: “Three days of travel, of preparation.But I’m glad and pleased of all three of the events.”

A goal of becoming a U.S.Citizen, the goal of running the Boston Marathon, and of course, making sure your team scores goals in the soccer game. All of those are part of Chattanooga FC’s assistant coach Chris Nugent’s life.And in a matter of days, they all happen first.After close to a year of paperwork, interviewing and taking a test to become a US citizen.

Said Nugent: “that was probably the most nerve wracking part because it was 100 question and you don’t know what they’re going to ask you.And there was probably four questionsI felt that would be tough.So if those were four of the first ones, I could be in trouble.But luckily I got there.I got some real simple questions, so it wasn’t as nerve wracking as I thought.”

The England native got the call he was becoming a US citizen.

Said Nugent: “I was really proud because this has been my home for nearly 16-17 years now.So the huge part of my life, nearly all of my adult life, I’ve been here, so this is what is my home.So to be officially recognized as an American is really important.So I’m still smiling from it now.”

And then he went out to San Diego to help coach Chattanooga FC to a five nothing victory on Saturday. Then the goal of nearly every marathon runner. He was off to the Boston Marathon.

Said Nugent: “I wasn’t quite sure I was even going to make the plane, so excitement didn’t really happen until I was sitting on that plane at the San Diego airport to know it.So it was more like one step at a time.And I had a little bit of nerves for the ocean.And then when that was done, it was, right, get ready for San Diego.And then when that was done, I think my adrenaline was still like sky high asI ran through the airport and got there.”

Marathon Monday was a race even before the marathon.

Said Nugent: “The pre workout of getting through the airport, dropping my bags at the hotel and back to the start line.I had to pick my bib up the morning of,so I had to go to one place for that and then back to the buses, drop my gear off.So I actually got to the start line maybe 40 minutes before I was supposed to start running.And I think the plan was to be there like 2 hours before.”

Then as fate would have it. It would start to rain.

Said Nugent:”Mile 25, the rain picked up even more, so I was drenched. But it was fun.I’m still smiling from that now.I think the whole week was excellent,but I don’t remember many moments in the marathon where I Thought it was actually fun right there and then.”

But he still called it the experience of a lifetime.And certainly the week of a lifetime.