Barry Barto
Encyclopedia
Barry Barto is a retired American soccer midfielder
and college coach. He played in the North American Soccer League
and coached for thirty years at Philadelphia Textile
and UNLV
.
where he played on the school’s soccer team from 1969 to 1972. He was a two time second team All American. He graduated with a degree in marketing. That year the North American Soccer League
(NASL) held its first college draft and the Montreal Olympique
selected Barto in the third round. Despite his low standing in the draft, Barto finished second to Mike Winter
for Rookie of the Year.
At the end of the season, the Philadelphia Atoms
, an NASL expansion franchise, traded for Barto as part of its efforts to create a team dominated by American, and preferably local, players. In 1973, the Atoms took the NASL championship and Barto was selected as an All Star Honorable Mention (third team). Barto remained with the Atoms through the 1976 season, the Atoms last. He then moved to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers where he played in only one game as a defender
in 1977. At the end of the season, he retired from playing. By that time, he had already begun his second career, coaching.
on August 20, 1972. He became a regular through 1973 and played both U.S. games in 1974. His last cap came in the first U.S. game of 1975, a 7-0 loss to Poland
on March 26, 1975.
. In 1976, the school hired him as the head coach of its soccer team. In his six years as head coach of the Rams, he took the team to a 85-15-6 record. Textile went to the NCAA tournament, including the Final Four in 1978 and 1981, while under Barto.
In 1982, UNLV
hired Barto as its first men’s soccer coach. Barto remained in this position for 24 years. On November 29, 2005, the university removed Barto as head coach and re-assigned in the athletic department. He left the team with a 221-200-38 record and five NCAA tournament appearances.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and college coach. He played in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
and coached for thirty years at Philadelphia Textile
Philadelphia University
Philadelphia University, founded in 1884, is a private university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Philadelphia University's student body consists of about 3,500 individuals from all 50 states and over 50 countries...
and UNLV
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
.
College and NASL
Barto grew up in Philadelphia where he began playing soccer when eleven years old. He attended Philadelphia TextilePhiladelphia University
Philadelphia University, founded in 1884, is a private university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Philadelphia University's student body consists of about 3,500 individuals from all 50 states and over 50 countries...
where he played on the school’s soccer team from 1969 to 1972. He was a two time second team All American. He graduated with a degree in marketing. That year the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL) held its first college draft and the Montreal Olympique
Montreal Olympique
Montreal Olympique were a soccer team based out of Montreal that played in the NASL. They played from 1971 to 1973. Their home field was Autostade.-Year-by-year:...
selected Barto in the third round. Despite his low standing in the draft, Barto finished second to Mike Winter
Mike Winter
Mike Winter is a retired Austrian-American soccer goalkeeper who spent four seasons in the North American Soccer League and earned six caps with the United States national team.-NASL:...
for Rookie of the Year.
At the end of the season, the Philadelphia Atoms
Philadelphia Atoms
The Philadelphia Atoms were a soccer team based out of Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League . They played from 1973 to 1976, at Veterans Stadium and Franklin Field ....
, an NASL expansion franchise, traded for Barto as part of its efforts to create a team dominated by American, and preferably local, players. In 1973, the Atoms took the NASL championship and Barto was selected as an All Star Honorable Mention (third team). Barto remained with the Atoms through the 1976 season, the Atoms last. He then moved to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers where he played in only one game as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
in 1977. At the end of the season, he retired from playing. By that time, he had already begun his second career, coaching.
National Team
Barto earned sixteen caps with the U.S. national team between 1972 and 1975. He was the captain for most of his games in 1974 and 1975. His first game with the national team came in a 3-2 loss to CanadaCanada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
on August 20, 1972. He became a regular through 1973 and played both U.S. games in 1974. His last cap came in the first U.S. game of 1975, a 7-0 loss to Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
on March 26, 1975.
Coaching
By the time he retired from playing, Barto had spent time as a business manager and the Associate Dean for Students at Philadelphia TextilePhiladelphia University
Philadelphia University, founded in 1884, is a private university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Philadelphia University's student body consists of about 3,500 individuals from all 50 states and over 50 countries...
. In 1976, the school hired him as the head coach of its soccer team. In his six years as head coach of the Rams, he took the team to a 85-15-6 record. Textile went to the NCAA tournament, including the Final Four in 1978 and 1981, while under Barto.
In 1982, UNLV
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
hired Barto as its first men’s soccer coach. Barto remained in this position for 24 years. On November 29, 2005, the university removed Barto as head coach and re-assigned in the athletic department. He left the team with a 221-200-38 record and five NCAA tournament appearances.