Dan Wood
Encyclopedia
Daniel Phillip Wood is a former collegiate and professional soccer coach. He was also a professional golfer
who was the top money winner on the 1996 Senior Series.
and graduated from Ithaca High School
in 1964. An outstanding athlete, he was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2004. He grew up in New York State and attended Lehigh University
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
for three semesters where he was a three sport (soccer, baseball and basketball) letterman. He transferred to Tufts University
in 1966 and earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1968. While at Tufts, he was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was magna cum laude. Wood was the captain of the Tuft’s 1968 baseball team and also lettered in soccer, basketball and football (placekicker.) He was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship to study at Cornell University
, where he became the soccer and tennis coach and earned a PhD in Education in 1977.
. Wood is also famous for recruiting future United States national team
coach Bruce Arena
, who was playing on the Big Red lacrosse team, into the men’s soccer team after injuries decimated the team’s goalkeeper corps. In December 1975, Wood resigned from Cornell to pursue a professional career. In 1976, Booth Gardner
, owner of the expansion American Soccer League
(ASL) franchise Tacoma Tides
, hired Wood as the team’s first, and only, head coach. Despite being in its first year, Wood took the team to second place in the Western Division and a berth in the ASL semifinals where the team lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Skyhawks
. When the Tides folded at the end of the 1976 season, Wood returned to Cornell to finish his doctorate in education in 1977 and then moved to the Colorado Caribous of North American Soccer League (NASL)as the assistant coach. Wood was promoted to head coach for the last month of the 1978 season, but was unable to replicate his success at Cornell and Tacoma as the Caribous went 8-22 and well out of playoff contention. At the end of the season, the team moved to Atlanta, Georgia
, becoming the Atlanta Chiefs
. Despite his lack of success with the Caribous, Wood was retained by the team management in the move and served for two years as the Chiefs’ head coach. In 1980, he brought David Chadwick
, his former Tides assistant coach, in as a joint head coach. When Wood left the Chiefs during the 1980 season, Chadwick replaced him as head coach. In 1984, Wood was the assistant head coach under Chadwick with the Minnesota Strikers, the last year of the NASL.
Wood was the golf director and managing owner of the Winter Springs (Florida) Golf Club from 1985-1998. Currently, he is the head women's golf coach at Ithaca College
(New York), where he is assisted by his wife Sandra whom he married in 1986 and who is currently the Women's Club Champion at both the Cornell University Golf Club and the Orange Tree (Florida) Golf Club.
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who was the top money winner on the 1996 Senior Series.
Youth
Wood was born in Elmira, New YorkElmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
and graduated from Ithaca High School
Ithaca High School (Ithaca, New York)
Ithaca High School is a public high school in Ithaca, New York. It is part of the Ithaca City School District, and has an enrollment of approximately 1,675. Jarett Powers has been principal since 2011.-About:...
in 1964. An outstanding athlete, he was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2004. He grew up in New York State and attended Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
for three semesters where he was a three sport (soccer, baseball and basketball) letterman. He transferred to Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in 1966 and earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1968. While at Tufts, he was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was magna cum laude. Wood was the captain of the Tuft’s 1968 baseball team and also lettered in soccer, basketball and football (placekicker.) He was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship to study at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, where he became the soccer and tennis coach and earned a PhD in Education in 1977.
Soccer coach
Over his five years as the Cornell Big Red coach, he took the soccer team to a 52-20-6 record and five NCAA post season appearances. In 1972, Cornell reached the NCAA Final Four where it fell to UCLAUCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
. Wood is also famous for recruiting future United States 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...
coach Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena is a former coach of the United States men's national soccer team as well as a former professional soccer and lacrosse player...
, who was playing on the Big Red lacrosse team, into the men’s soccer team after injuries decimated the team’s goalkeeper corps. In December 1975, Wood resigned from Cornell to pursue a professional career. In 1976, Booth Gardner
Booth Gardner
Booth Gardner , an heir to the Weyerhaeuser fortune, was the 19th Governor of the U.S state of Washington between 1985 and 1993. He also served as the ambassador of the GATT. He is a Democrat. Before serving as governor, Gardner was Pierce County Executive...
, owner of the expansion 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...
(ASL) franchise Tacoma Tides
Tacoma Tides
The Tacoma Tides was an American soccer club based in Tacoma, Washington that was a member of the American Soccer League. Although not long-lived, the club is remembered today for its backup goalkeeper--well-known American soccer coach Bruce Arena....
, hired Wood as the team’s first, and only, head coach. Despite being in its first year, Wood took the team to second place in the Western Division and a berth in the ASL semifinals where the team lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Skyhawks
Los Angeles Skyhawks
The Los Angeles Skyhawks was a professional soccer club based in Los Angeles, California that was a member of the American Soccer League. Founded as part of the American Soccer League's expansion to the west coast in 1976, they were the first professional sports team to be based in the San Fernando...
. When the Tides folded at the end of the 1976 season, Wood returned to Cornell to finish his doctorate in education in 1977 and then moved to the Colorado Caribous of North American Soccer League (NASL)as the assistant coach. Wood was promoted to head coach for the last month of the 1978 season, but was unable to replicate his success at Cornell and Tacoma as the Caribous went 8-22 and well out of playoff contention. At the end of the season, the team moved to Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, becoming the Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...
. Despite his lack of success with the Caribous, Wood was retained by the team management in the move and served for two years as the Chiefs’ head coach. In 1980, he brought David Chadwick
David Chadwick (footballer)
David Edwin Chadwick is an English retired professional footballer/soccer player, who played as a wing-forward, before a career coaching in the United States. He was born in Ootacamund, India.-Playing career:...
, his former Tides assistant coach, in as a joint head coach. When Wood left the Chiefs during the 1980 season, Chadwick replaced him as head coach. In 1984, Wood was the assistant head coach under Chadwick with the Minnesota Strikers, the last year of the NASL.
Golf
Wood, who was an outstanding amateur golfer through all his years as a coach, turned professional in 1980. He entered the club pro ranks in 1985 after several years of competition on various Florida mini-tours. He attained full PGA membership in 1988 and he tied for second in the 1988 North Florida PGA Section Championship, qualified for the PGA Championship at Bellerive CC in St. Louis in 1992, and won the Florida Open in 1995. In 1996, he was the top money winner on the Senior Series and earned his card on the Senior PGA Tour. He played the Senior PGA Tour full-time starting in 1997 and in 1998, he had several top-10 finishes, including a tie for seventh at the U.S. Senior Open, one of 52 events that he played on the Senior PGA Tour. In 1998, he led the Senior PGA Tour in eagles and achieved an all-around statistical ranking of #16 among all Senior Tour players.Wood was the golf director and managing owner of the Winter Springs (Florida) Golf Club from 1985-1998. Currently, he is the head women's golf coach at Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
(New York), where he is assisted by his wife Sandra whom he married in 1986 and who is currently the Women's Club Champion at both the Cornell University Golf Club and the Orange Tree (Florida) Golf Club.