Brian Schmetzer
Encyclopedia
Brian Schmetzer is a retired U.S. soccer player who played in the North American Soccer League
, Major Indoor Soccer League
and Western Soccer League
. He coached the Seattle Sounders
in the USL First Division
for seven seasons, winning two championships. He was the 2002 USL-1 Coach of the Year. He is currently an assistant coach with the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer
.
. He learned to play soccer under the tutelage of his father Walter, who coached him with the Lake City Hawks youth team. Walter, a native of Germany, had played in the German Third Division
before immigrating to the United States. Walter instilled a love for the game in Brian who became an outstanding youth and high school player.
of the North American Soccer League
(NASL) in June 1980. He spent the 1980 season with the Sounders reserves before playing with the Sounders during the 1980-1981 NASL indoor season. In the 1981 Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup, he came on with eight minutes left in the game against Celtic
. However, he saw no time in the 1981 regular season. Then in 1982, he got his break. He saw time in six games that season, then became a regular in 1983. Unfortunately for him, the Sounders folded at the end of the season. With the demise of the Sounders, Schmetzer moved to the Tulsa Roughnecks
for the 1984 NASL season. However, the league collapsed at the end of the season and Schmetzer moved again, this time to the San Diego Sockers. The Sockers had begun as an NASL franchise, but had twice spent the winter playing in Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL). With the collapse of the NASL, the Sockers moved permanently to MISL. During the next decade they dominated the indoor game racking up championships nearly every season. Schmetzer was with the Sockers for four seasons, winning an MISL title in three of them. In 1988, Schemetzer moved to the Tacoma Stars. While there, he both played and he began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Stars. Following the Sockers championship victory in 1985, San Diego loaned Schemtzer to F.C. Seattle
of the Western Soccer Alliance. The team was created in 1984 after the Sounders folded to provide local and ex-NASL players an opportunity to play outside of local rec leagues. Jimmy Gabriel
coached F.C. Seattle that season. Gabriel and Schmetzer would join up again when Schemtzer became head coach of the Sounders with Gabriel as his assistant. While Schmetzer played as a midfielder with Seattle, he scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Brazilian club Santos
on June 8, 1985. He played for the St. Louis Storm
of the MISL for the 1990-1991 season. At the end of the season, he retired. In 1994, he came out of retirement to sign with the expansion Seattle Sounders
of the American Professional Soccer League
. In 1995, he played for the Seattle SeaDogs
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
.
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
(CISL) in 1995. Fernando Clavijo
coached the SeaDogs, which lasted only three seasons before folding. However, they did win the CISL championship their last season, 1997.
In 2002, the Seattle Sounders
found themselves without a head coach. General manager
Adrian Hanauer called Schmetzer and asked him if he was interested in the job. Schmetzer agreed and took the job that season. In 2004, he coached the Sounders to the A-League championship game where the team lost to the Montreal Impact
. The next year the A-League became known as the USL First Division
. In 2005, Schmetzer again took the Sounders to the championship game, but defeated the Richmond Kickers
in penalty kicks to take the title.
Schmetzer was a finalist for the 2007 coach of the year award. Although the team had started the season 1–3–4, they went on to claim the Commissioner's Cup for the league's best regular season record. The team also had a 15-game unbeaten run that included MLS opponents in the U.S. Open Cup
. The Sounders went on to beat the Atlanta Silverbacks
4-0 to win the league championship.
Schmetzer was a candidate for the head coach position with Seattle Sounders FC. The job eventually went to Sigi Schmid while Schmetzer took the role as the top assistant. Schmetzer filled in for Schmid against the Houston Dynamo
on June 11, 2009. The Sounders won the game 2–1.
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...
and Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
. He coached 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...
in the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
for seven seasons, winning two championships. He was the 2002 USL-1 Coach of the Year. He is currently an assistant coach with the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Youth
Schmetzer was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington where he attended Nathan Hale High SchoolNathan Hale High School
Nathan Hale High School is a public high school in Seattle, Washington. Nathan Hale is part of the Coalition of Essential Schools.-Early years:...
. He learned to play soccer under the tutelage of his father Walter, who coached him with the Lake City Hawks youth team. Walter, a native of Germany, had played in the German Third Division
Regionalliga (football)
The Fußball-Regionalliga is the fourth tier of football in the German football league system. Until 1974, it was the second tier of the league system before being disbanded. The Regionalliga was then re-introduced as the third tier of the system in 1994...
before immigrating to the United States. Walter instilled a love for the game in Brian who became an outstanding youth and high school player.
Professional
After graduating from high school, Schmetzer chose to forego college and signed 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) in June 1980. He spent the 1980 season with the Sounders reserves before playing with the Sounders during the 1980-1981 NASL indoor season. In the 1981 Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup, he came on with eight minutes left in the game against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. However, he saw no time in the 1981 regular season. Then in 1982, he got his break. He saw time in six games that season, then became a regular in 1983. Unfortunately for him, the Sounders folded at the end of the season. With the demise of the Sounders, Schmetzer moved to the Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
for the 1984 NASL season. However, the league collapsed at the end of the season and Schmetzer moved again, this time to the San Diego Sockers. The Sockers had begun as an NASL franchise, but had twice spent the winter playing in 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). With the collapse of the NASL, the Sockers moved permanently to MISL. During the next decade they dominated the indoor game racking up championships nearly every season. Schmetzer was with the Sockers for four seasons, winning an MISL title in three of them. In 1988, Schemetzer moved to the Tacoma Stars. While there, he both played and he began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Stars. Following the Sockers championship victory in 1985, San Diego loaned Schemtzer to F.C. Seattle
Seattle 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. The team was created in 1984 after the Sounders folded to provide local and ex-NASL players an opportunity to play outside of local rec leagues. Jimmy Gabriel
Jimmy Gabriel
James Gabriel is a Scottish former football midfielder who earned two caps with the Scotland national football team. Chiefly associated with English club Everton, Gabriel played extensively in Scotland and England before ending his career with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer...
coached F.C. Seattle that season. Gabriel and Schmetzer would join up again when Schemtzer became head coach of the Sounders with Gabriel as his assistant. While Schmetzer played as a midfielder with Seattle, he scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Brazilian club Santos
Santos Futebol Clube
Santos Futebol Clube is a Brazilian professional football club based in Santos, São Paulo They play in the Campeonato Paulista and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the highest professional leagues in São Paulo state and Brazil, respectively....
on June 8, 1985. He played for the St. Louis Storm
St. Louis Storm
The St. Louis Storm were a soccer team based out of St. Louis that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played from 1989 to 1992. Their home arena was St...
of the MISL for the 1990-1991 season. At the end of the season, he retired. In 1994, he came out of retirement to sign with the expansion 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 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 1995, he played for the Seattle SeaDogs
Seattle SeaDogs
The Seattle SeaDogs are a defunct indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1995 to 1997. They won the last CISL championship in 1997.-History:...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
.
Coaching
While Schmetzer began his coaching career as a player-assistant coach with the Tacoma Stars, he became a dedicated assistant coach when he moved to the Seattle SeaDogsSeattle SeaDogs
The Seattle SeaDogs are a defunct indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1995 to 1997. They won the last CISL championship in 1997.-History:...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
(CISL) in 1995. Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo is a retired American soccer football defender and former head coach of the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. He played three seasons in the American Soccer League, two in the North American Soccer League and ten in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
coached the SeaDogs, which lasted only three seasons before folding. However, they did win the CISL championship their last season, 1997.
In 2002, 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...
found themselves without a head coach. General manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Adrian Hanauer called Schmetzer and asked him if he was interested in the job. Schmetzer agreed and took the job that season. In 2004, he coached the Sounders to the A-League championship game where the team lost to the Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
. The next year the A-League became known as the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. In 2005, Schmetzer again took the Sounders to the championship game, but defeated the Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in penalty kicks to take the title.
Schmetzer was a finalist for the 2007 coach of the year award. Although the team had started the season 1–3–4, they went on to claim the Commissioner's Cup for the league's best regular season record. The team also had a 15-game unbeaten run that included MLS opponents in the U.S. Open Cup
2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:-----Second round:-----Third round:...
. The Sounders went on to beat the Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks is an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having previously sat out the 2009 and 2010 seasons while the ownership...
4-0 to win the league championship.
Schmetzer was a candidate for the head coach position with Seattle Sounders FC. The job eventually went to Sigi Schmid while Schmetzer took the role as the top assistant. Schmetzer filled in for Schmid against the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
on June 11, 2009. The Sounders won the game 2–1.