Bernie James
Encyclopedia
Bernie James is a former U.S. soccer player and current youth soccer coach. James spent twenty-four years as a professional, both beginning and ending his career with different versions of the Seattle Sounders. He played in the North American Soccer League
, Major Indoor Soccer League
, American Professional Soccer League
and A-League. He served as an assistant coach with the Sounders for seven seasons and as interim head coach for one. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for, but did not play in, the 1980 Summer Olympics
. He also earned two caps with the U.S. national team
in 1988.
, Chris, and David and sister Tara, in Washington state. He attended Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Washington
where he was a four year letterman on the boy’s soccer team. He was named to the All League team as a senior in 1977.
of the North American Soccer League
(NASL) after graduating from high school. In his two and a half years with the Sounders, he never played a first team game, instead he saw time only with the reserve team during the 1978 and 1979 seasons. The Sounders traded him to the Edmonton Drillers in 1980 where he became and integral part of the team over the next three seasons. In addition to playing outdoor with the Drillers, James was a significant part of the 1980-1981 and 1981-1982 NASL indoor seasons. In 1981, Edmonton won the NASL indoor championship over the Chicago Sting
. The Drillers folded at the end of the 1982 outdoor season and James jumped to Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL).
which had replaced the Force when that team folded in 1988. James spent two more seasons in MISL with the Force, being named a second team All Star in his last season, 1990-1991.
of the Western Soccer Alliance. In 1990, the WSA merged with the American Soccer League
to form the American Professional Soccer League
. In April 1994, James signed with the Seattle Sounders
of the (APSL) as a player/coach. He played seventeen games of the 1994 season, but was injured during the 1995 pre-season and played no games as the Sounders won the APSL championship. He returned to the field in 1996, seeing time in six games as Seattle won its second consecutive league championship. In 1997, he was fully recovered from injury, anchoring the Sounders defense during thirty-three games. That year, the APSL merged with the USISL and became known as the A-League. James announced his intention to retire during the 2000 pre-season. He played six games that year and retired at the end of the season.
. The U.S. went 2-0 in first round group play before dropping both of its second round group games.
In 1979 and 1980, James was part of the U.S. Olympic soccer team as it successfully qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics
held in Moscow
. However, James and his team mates were unable to compete when President Jimmy Carter
boycotted the games following the Soviet Union
’s invasion of Afghanistan
.
James earned his first cap with the U.S. national team
in a 1-1 tie with Chile
on January 6, 1988. Neil Megson
, later coach of the Sounders, replaced James in the second half. His second national team game came on March 6, 1988. This was a 3-1 loss to Chile. James again started the game but came off for Joey Kirk.
in Seattle, Washington to coach its girls’ soccer team. That year he also became a coach with Crossfire Premier Soccer Club where he continues to coach today. In 2003, he became the club’s boys’ director of coaching.
James became interim head coach of the Sounders when Neil Megson resigned on April 19, 2001. The Sounders finished the season 14-13-2 and failed to make the playoffs. On November 8, 2001, James was fired by the Sounders with some hard feelings on his part. Although the team ownership offered to retain him as an assistant coach, James declined.http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=soun09&date=20011109&query=sounders
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:...
, Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
, American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
and A-League. He served as an assistant coach with the Sounders for seven seasons and as interim head coach for one. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for, but did not play in, the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. He also earned two caps with the U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in 1988.
High school
While born in England, James grew up along with his brothers: Greg, JoeJoe James (soccer)
Joe "Joey" James is a retired U.S. soccer defender who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance.James, the brother of Bernie James, was born in England, but grew up in Bellevue, Washington. He graduated from O'Dea High School where he was a 1979 Parade...
, Chris, and David and sister Tara, in Washington state. He attended Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
where he was a four year letterman on the boy’s soccer team. He was named to the All League team as a senior in 1977.
NASL
Rather than attending college, James chose to sign with the Seattle SoundersSeattle Sounders (NASL)
The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...
of 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) after graduating from high school. In his two and a half years with the Sounders, he never played a first team game, instead he saw time only with the reserve team during the 1978 and 1979 seasons. The Sounders traded him to the Edmonton Drillers in 1980 where he became and integral part of the team over the next three seasons. In addition to playing outdoor with the Drillers, James was a significant part of the 1980-1981 and 1981-1982 NASL indoor seasons. In 1981, Edmonton won the NASL indoor championship over the Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
. The Drillers folded at the end of the 1982 outdoor season and James jumped to Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
(MISL).
MISL
James signed with the Cleveland Force of MISL in 1982 and spent five seasons with them. He was named the 1982-1983 MISL Defender of the Year. In 1987, he moved to the Tacoma Stars for two seasons before returning to Cleveland to join the Cleveland CrunchCleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
which had replaced the Force when that team folded in 1988. James spent two more seasons in MISL with the Force, being named a second team All Star in his last season, 1990-1991.
APSL/A-League
In 1988 and 1989, James played two seasons with the Seattle StormSeattle Storm (soccer)
Football Club Seattle Storm, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to...
of the Western Soccer Alliance. In 1990, the WSA merged with the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
to form the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. In April 1994, James signed with the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (USL)
Seattle Sounders was an American professional soccer team founded in 1994 as a member of the American Professional Soccer League. In 1997, the team became a member of the USL First Division, the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid, until 2008, after which the majority of the team's...
of the (APSL) as a player/coach. He played seventeen games of the 1994 season, but was injured during the 1995 pre-season and played no games as the Sounders won the APSL championship. He returned to the field in 1996, seeing time in six games as Seattle won its second consecutive league championship. In 1997, he was fully recovered from injury, anchoring the Sounders defense during thirty-three games. That year, the APSL merged with the USISL and became known as the A-League. James announced his intention to retire during the 2000 pre-season. He played six games that year and retired at the end of the season.
National and Olympic teams
In 1979, James was selected for the U.S. soccer team at the 1979 Pan Am GamesFootball at the 1979 Pan American Games
The eighth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 2 to July 14, 1979. Nine teams competed in a first round-robin competition, with Brazil defending the title...
. The U.S. went 2-0 in first round group play before dropping both of its second round group games.
In 1979 and 1980, James was part of the U.S. Olympic soccer team as it successfully qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
held in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. However, James and his team mates were unable to compete when President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
boycotted the games following the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
’s invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
.
James earned his first cap with the U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in a 1-1 tie with Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
on January 6, 1988. Neil Megson
Neil Megson (soccer)
Neil Megson is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder who currently coaches youth soccer. He played two seasons in the North American Soccer League, nine in Major Indoor Soccer League, one in the Continental Indoor Soccer League and six in the USL First Division and its predecessors...
, later coach of the Sounders, replaced James in the second half. His second national team game came on March 6, 1988. This was a 3-1 loss to Chile. James again started the game but came off for Joey Kirk.
Coaching
In 1997, James was hired by Roosevelt High SchoolRoosevelt High School (Seattle)
Roosevelt High School is a public school in the Seattle Public Schools district of Seattle, Washington, USA. Founded in the 1920s, Roosevelt continues to be one of the largest schools in the greater Seattle area....
in Seattle, Washington to coach its girls’ soccer team. That year he also became a coach with Crossfire Premier Soccer Club where he continues to coach today. In 2003, he became the club’s boys’ director of coaching.
James became interim head coach of the Sounders when Neil Megson resigned on April 19, 2001. The Sounders finished the season 14-13-2 and failed to make the playoffs. On November 8, 2001, James was fired by the Sounders with some hard feelings on his part. Although the team ownership offered to retain him as an assistant coach, James declined.http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=soun09&date=20011109&query=sounders