Father Joseph Caffrey's relationship with soccer began in 1967 when he played with an adult amateur program. He also coached two adult amateur teams and a number of youth teams. As a member of the Marist School's faculty, he was able to arrange continual use of the playing fields at the school.
During this time, he was consistently involved in guiding individuals and organizations in the intricacies of forming and managing adult and youth amateur soccer groups and programs. As an advocate he often traveled to other parts of Georgia to help local groups become familiar with the game and assist them in organizing local programs. His efforts included a stint as the State Director of Coaching, organizing the Georgia Soccer Coaches Association with Angus McAlpine and training and licensing volunteers to coach. One of his lesser-known contributions was in being able to devise and create rules that were to become the basis for conducting and governing youth and adult amateur soccer in our state, and he did so continuously in the early years in his usual unassuming manner. It was not uncommon for an overly-excited volunteer or soccer parent to heatedly argue and explain to him the intent and meaning of a rule that had been written by Father Caffrey.
His service included being President of Georgia Soccer, a Regional Director and Vice President of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and a leader of and participant in many State, Regional and National Committees.
A most significant contribution to Georgia Soccer and its future was his role as a framer and organizer of the first Georgia State Soccer Association along with Dr. Clyde Partin. This successfully brought the Adult Amateur, Youth, Adult Referee, Youth Referee, Coaching Development and Booster Club programs under one organizational roof. He served as the first Executive Director of the Georgia Soccer and organized the basis for a professionally-led operation. His example set the standard and in 1997, he was inducted into the Georgia Soccer Hall of Fame.