Ben Clark (footballer born 1984)
Encyclopedia
Ben Clark is an English
soccer player who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers
in the USL Second Division
.
in his native England before moving to the United States in 2004 to play college soccer
at Lenoir-Rhyne University. He transferred to Wingate University
in his sophomore year, and while at Wingate, Clark was named to the Daktronics All-Appalachian Region Men’s Soccer second team and the NCCSIA College Division All-State team as a senior, was a two-time All-Appalachian Region first team selection, NSCAA All American second team. He helped the Bulldogs qualify for consecutive NCAA Division II Appalachian Region Men’s Soccer tournaments in 2006 and 2007.
in the USL Second Division
. He made his professional debut on 26 April 2008 in a 2–0 defeat to the Bermuda Hogges
, and went on to play 18 games for the Hammerheads before moving to the Western Mass Pioneers
in 2009.
Clark started every game for the pioneers and played every minute of league play for the Massachusetts outfit.
Clark then ventured to Europe and played with Finnish club FC Korsholm
in the city of Vaasa, in 2010, clark played over half a season with the team in the Kakkonen
division before returning to coach with his alma mater Wingate University
, where Clark currently is the Assistant coach for the NCAA Division 2 Wingate Bulldogs.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soccer player who currently plays for Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games...
in the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
.
College and amateur
Clark attended Netherthorpe Secondary School and spent a short time at Chesterfield CollegeChesterfield College
Chesterfield College is a further education further and higher education college in the town of Chesterfield in North East Derbyshire, England. The college consists of three campuses spread over the town of Chesterfield and serves over 21,000 students of which 5,600 are full time attends.- History...
in his native England before moving to the United States in 2004 to play college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at Lenoir-Rhyne University. He transferred to Wingate University
Wingate University
Wingate University was founded by Baptists in 1896 as Wingate School, an independent, co-educational institution and became a four-year college in 1977. In 1996, Wingate College became Wingate University....
in his sophomore year, and while at Wingate, Clark was named to the Daktronics All-Appalachian Region Men’s Soccer second team and the NCCSIA College Division All-State team as a senior, was a two-time All-Appalachian Region first team selection, NSCAA All American second team. He helped the Bulldogs qualify for consecutive NCAA Division II Appalachian Region Men’s Soccer tournaments in 2006 and 2007.
Professional
Clark turned professional in 2008, playing for the Wilmington HammerheadsWilmington Hammerheads
Wilmington Hammerheads is an American professional soccer team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
. He made his professional debut on 26 April 2008 in a 2–0 defeat to the Bermuda Hogges
Bermuda Hogges
Bermuda Hogges is a Bermudian soccer team based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference....
, and went on to play 18 games for the Hammerheads before moving to the Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games...
in 2009.
Clark started every game for the pioneers and played every minute of league play for the Massachusetts outfit.
Clark then ventured to Europe and played with Finnish club FC Korsholm
FC Korsholm
FC Korsholm is a football club from Korsholm , the municipality that surrounds the city of Vaasa, in Finland. The club was formed in 1998 and their home ground is at the Botniahalli, Sepänkylän keskusurheilukenttä. The men's first team currently plays in the Kolmonen...
in the city of Vaasa, in 2010, clark played over half a season with the team in the Kakkonen
Kakkonen
Kakkonen is the third tier of the Finnish football league system.-League structure:Kakkonen is divided to three groups of 14 clubs. A club plays each of the others in the same group twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents. Clubs gain three points for a win, one for a...
division before returning to coach with his alma mater Wingate University
Wingate University
Wingate University was founded by Baptists in 1896 as Wingate School, an independent, co-educational institution and became a four-year college in 1977. In 1996, Wingate College became Wingate University....
, where Clark currently is the Assistant coach for the NCAA Division 2 Wingate Bulldogs.