Denis Hamlett
Encyclopedia
Denis Hamlett is a Costa Rica
n former professional soccer player. He has also served as an assistant coach and manager in Major League Soccer
.
Hamlett spent his entire playing career in the United States, playing professionally with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
and the Colorado Rapids
, as well as indoor soccer with the Harrisburg Heat
and Anaheim Splash
.
. In 1987, Hamlett played college soccer
for UNC Wilmington, before transferring to George Mason University
in Fairfax, Virginia
after his freshman season. He earned All-Colonial Athletic Association and All-Region accolades during his three seasons of play at George Mason. He graduated in 1992 with a bachelors degree in public administration and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2006.
of American Professional Soccer League
. He spent the 1992 and 1993 summers playing outdoor soccer with the Strikers. In the fall of 1992, he joined the Harrisburg Heat
of the National Professional Soccer League. He spent two seasons with the Heat. Then from 1994–95, he played summer indoor soccer for the Anaheim Splash
of the CISL
.
In 1996, Hamlett was drafted by the Colorado Rapids
in the second round, 12th overall in Major League Soccer's inaugural draft
. His stellar play continued with Colorado, where he won the BIC Tough Defender of the Year award. His playing career ended in 1997 when he suffered a stroke caused by a blood protein deficiency.
He served as an assistant coach during the U.S. Project-40 squad's visit to Portugal
, and continued his coaching duties with the Fire, becoming the senior assistant coach in 2001. Upon dismissal of former head coach Dave Sarachan
, Hamlett received interim head coaching duties on June 20, 2007, but resumed assistant coaching duties following the arrival of Juan Carlos Osorio
. When Osorio resigned take on the head coach job at the New York Red Bulls, Hamlett was hired as the head coach. Following Fire's failure to qualify for the 2009 MLS Cup, Hamlett was fired as head coach on 24 November 2009. Over his two-plus year tenure with the Fire, Hamlett helped the team to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals, as well as the 2009 SuperLiga Final, going 24-18-21 in league play and 31-23-24 across all competitions.
Denis took up the post of interim coach of the Men's Soccer team at the Illinois Institute of Technology for the 2010 season, leading them to a conference final.
On January 8, it was announced that Hamlett had joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC in an assistant coaching role. On October 26, 2011, Vancouver announced that it had released Hamlett from his contract.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n former professional soccer player. He has also served as an assistant coach and manager in 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...
.
Hamlett spent his entire playing career in the United States, playing professionally with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Fort Lauderdale Strikers (APSL)
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team established in 1988 as part of the third American Soccer League. In 1990, it moved to the American Professional Soccer League where it spent five seasons before folding in 1994...
and the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
, as well as indoor soccer with the Harrisburg Heat
Harrisburg Heat
The Harrisburg Heat was a professional indoor soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team was part of the National Professional Soccer League, which later became the Major Indoor Soccer League, and has been defunct since 2003. The Harrisburg Heat was first formed during the 1991-92...
and Anaheim Splash
Anaheim Splash
The Anaheim Splash was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . It was founded in 1992 as the Los Angeles United, but was sold after the season. The new ownership moved the team to Anaheim, California and renamed it the Anaheim Splash...
.
College
After his parents separated, Hamlett moved to live with his mother in Silver Spring, MD when he was ten years old and attended Albert Einstein High SchoolAlbert Einstein High School
Albert Einstein High School, named after the German-American physicist, Albert Einstein, is a four-year high school located at 11135 Newport Mill Road, near Kensington in unincorporated Montgomery County, Maryland. The principal is James G. Fernandez, and the assistant principals are Linda Jasper,...
. In 1987, Hamlett played 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...
for UNC Wilmington, before transferring to George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
in Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
after his freshman season. He earned All-Colonial Athletic Association and All-Region accolades during his three seasons of play at George Mason. He graduated in 1992 with a bachelors degree in public administration and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2006.
Professional
Hamlett began his professional career on June 10, 1992 when he signed with the Fort Lauderdale StrikersFort Lauderdale Strikers (APSL)
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team established in 1988 as part of the third American Soccer League. In 1990, it moved to the American Professional Soccer League where it spent five seasons before folding in 1994...
of 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...
. He spent the 1992 and 1993 summers playing outdoor soccer with the Strikers. In the fall of 1992, he joined the Harrisburg Heat
Harrisburg Heat
The Harrisburg Heat was a professional indoor soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team was part of the National Professional Soccer League, which later became the Major Indoor Soccer League, and has been defunct since 2003. The Harrisburg Heat was first formed during the 1991-92...
of the National Professional Soccer League. He spent two seasons with the Heat. Then from 1994–95, he played summer indoor soccer for the Anaheim Splash
Anaheim Splash
The Anaheim Splash was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . It was founded in 1992 as the Los Angeles United, but was sold after the season. The new ownership moved the team to Anaheim, California and renamed it the Anaheim Splash...
of the CISL
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...
.
In 1996, Hamlett was drafted by the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
in the second round, 12th overall in Major League Soccer's inaugural draft
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players who had already graduated from college to the league's ten inaugural teams. The draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996...
. His stellar play continued with Colorado, where he won the BIC Tough Defender of the Year award. His playing career ended in 1997 when he suffered a stroke caused by a blood protein deficiency.
Coaching career
Following his retirement from professional play in 1997, Hamlett attained his coaching license from U.S. Soccer. In 1998, Hamlett joined the coaching staff of the Chicago Fire.He served as an assistant coach during the U.S. Project-40 squad's visit to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and continued his coaching duties with the Fire, becoming the senior assistant coach in 2001. Upon dismissal of former head coach Dave Sarachan
Dave Sarachan
Dave Sarachan is a former U.S. soccer coach and player. He spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League and four in Major Indoor Soccer League before retiring in 1982...
, Hamlett received interim head coaching duties on June 20, 2007, but resumed assistant coaching duties following the arrival of Juan Carlos Osorio
Juan Carlos Osorio
Juan Carlos Osorio The Recreationist , is a Colombian football manager and former football player who began his career in 1980 with Deportivo Pereira. He is currently managing Puebla FC in Mexico....
. When Osorio resigned take on the head coach job at the New York Red Bulls, Hamlett was hired as the head coach. Following Fire's failure to qualify for the 2009 MLS Cup, Hamlett was fired as head coach on 24 November 2009. Over his two-plus year tenure with the Fire, Hamlett helped the team to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals, as well as the 2009 SuperLiga Final, going 24-18-21 in league play and 31-23-24 across all competitions.
Denis took up the post of interim coach of the Men's Soccer team at the Illinois Institute of Technology for the 2010 season, leading them to a conference final.
On January 8, it was announced that Hamlett had joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC in an assistant coaching role. On October 26, 2011, Vancouver announced that it had released Hamlett from his contract.