Ed Puskarich
Encyclopedia
Ed Puskarich is a retired U.S. soccer defender
who had an extensive career which began in 1984 in the United Soccer League
and ended in the Premier Development League. In between, he played in the American Indoor Soccer Association, National Professional Soccer League, USISL and Major League Soccer
. He has coached at the youth, college and professional levels including four as an assistant coach and scout with the Dallas Burn.
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1980 to 1983. He was also a placekicker and wide receiver on the SMU football team in 1982. In 1984, he signed with the Houston Dynamos of the United Soccer League
. The Dynamos went to the league championship where they lost to the Fort Lauderdale Sun
. In the fall of 1984, he signed with the Columbus Capitals
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. The Capitals lasted two seasons before folding in 1986. On September 16, 1986, he signed with the Fort Wayne Flames
for the 1986-1987 AISA season. According to his bio, he spent time in 1987 with the Los Angeles Lazers
in the Major Indoor Soccer League
. However, it does not specify whether this was the beginning or end of 1987. However, he then signed with the Memphis Storm
for the 1987-1988 AISA season. He then moved to the Dayton Dynamo
for the 1988-1989 season before transferring to the Chicago Power
in November 1989. He would remain with the Power until ownership turmoil in 1994 led him to leave the team. During those years, the AISA was renamed the National Professional Soccer League and won the 1991 NSPL championship. In January 1995, he signed with the Milwaukee Wave
. He finished the 1994-1995 season with the Wave then played the 1995 USISL outdoor season with the Rockford Raptors
before returning to the Wave for the 1995-1996 NPSL season. That was his last season in the NPSL. He finished his time in the league ranked ninth on the all time list of games played in the NPSL with 370 games. In February 1996, the Dallas Burn selected Puskarich in the fifteenth round (143rd overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
. He made the team and played eighteen games with the Burn in 1996. He retired at the end of the season, but returned to professional soccer in 2000 with the Texas Rattlers in the USL D3 Pro League. In 2001, the league became the Premier Development League and the team, now under new ownership, became the Texas Spurs. Puskarich remained with the Spurs through the 2003 season.
soccer team. On April 6, 1994, he moved to Aurora University
which had just established a women’s soccer program. In 1996, the school gave him a leave of absence to play for the Dallas Burn. He did not return to the school. In 1997, he was hired as an assistant coach for the Burn, a position he held until 2000. In 1998, he became head coach of the Texas Toros. In 2001, he became the head coach of the Texas Spurs, a position he held until 2003. Ed now owns and manages the TFC Youth soccer club in the Dallas area.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who had an extensive career which began in 1984 in the United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
and ended in the Premier Development League. In between, he played in the American Indoor Soccer Association, National Professional Soccer League, USISL and 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...
. He has coached at the youth, college and professional levels including four as an assistant coach and scout with the Dallas Burn.
Player
Puskarich attended Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1980 to 1983. He was also a placekicker and wide receiver on the SMU football team in 1982. In 1984, he signed with the Houston Dynamos of the United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
. The Dynamos went to the league championship where they lost to the Fort Lauderdale Sun
Fort Lauderdale Sun
Fort Lauderdale Sun was a U.S. soccer team which played two seasons in the United Soccer League. In 1983, the team was known as the Fort Lauderdale Sun, but in 1985, changed its name to the South Florida Sun.-Origins:...
. In the fall of 1984, he signed with the Columbus Capitals
Columbus Capitals (indoor soccer)
The Columbus Capitals were an indoor soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association. The club played its home games at Battelle Hall from 1984 - 1986....
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. The Capitals lasted two seasons before folding in 1986. On September 16, 1986, he signed with the Fort Wayne Flames
Fort Wayne Flames
The Fort Wayne Flames were an indoor soccer club based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association, playing home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum from 1986-1989....
for the 1986-1987 AISA season. According to his bio, he spent time in 1987 with the Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers were a soccer team based out of Los Angeles that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1982 to 1989.-History:Major Indoor Soccer League awarded a Los Angeles franchise to Jerry Buss on June 24, 1982. Buss had purchased the Philadelphia Fever and wanted to move it to...
in the 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...
. However, it does not specify whether this was the beginning or end of 1987. However, he then signed with the Memphis Storm
Memphis Storm
The Memphis Storm was an American soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee which existed from 1986 to 1994 under several names in both the American Indoor Soccer Association and the USISL.-American Indoor Soccer Association:...
for the 1987-1988 AISA season. He then moved to the Dayton Dynamo
Dayton Dynamo
The Dayton Dynamo was a professional indoor soccer team from Dayton, Ohio. The team played in the American Indoor Soccer Association ....
for the 1988-1989 season before transferring to the Chicago Power
Chicago Power
The Chicago Power were an indoor soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association and National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Edmonton Drillers.-Year-by-year:...
in November 1989. He would remain with the Power until ownership turmoil in 1994 led him to leave the team. During those years, the AISA was renamed the National Professional Soccer League and won the 1991 NSPL championship. In January 1995, he signed with the Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
. He finished the 1994-1995 season with the Wave then played the 1995 USISL outdoor season with the Rockford Raptors
Rockford Raptors
The Rockford Raptors were an American soccer team based in Rockford, Illinois. The team began in the USISL and moved to the USISL Pro League in 1995. In 1999, the team was relegated to the Premier Development League....
before returning to the Wave for the 1995-1996 NPSL season. That was his last season in the NPSL. He finished his time in the league ranked ninth on the all time list of games played in the NPSL with 370 games. In February 1996, the Dallas Burn selected Puskarich in the fifteenth round (143rd overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player 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...
. He made the team and played eighteen games with the Burn in 1996. He retired at the end of the season, but returned to professional soccer in 2000 with the Texas Rattlers in the USL D3 Pro League. In 2001, the league became the Premier Development League and the team, now under new ownership, became the Texas Spurs. Puskarich remained with the Spurs through the 2003 season.
Coach
In addition to his extensive playing career, Puskarich is a long time coach. In 1993, he became the head coach of the NCAA Division III North Central CollegeNorth Central College
North Central College is a leading liberal arts college providing students at different stages of life and from different ethnic, economic and religious backgrounds with comprehensive educational programs.-Academics:...
soccer team. On April 6, 1994, he moved to Aurora University
Aurora University
Aurora University is a private, not-for-profit, co-educational liberal arts college located in Aurora, Illinois, 40 miles west of Chicago, Illinois. Additional university locations include the George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin and the Woodstock Center in Woodstock, Illinois...
which had just established a women’s soccer program. In 1996, the school gave him a leave of absence to play for the Dallas Burn. He did not return to the school. In 1997, he was hired as an assistant coach for the Burn, a position he held until 2000. In 1998, he became head coach of the Texas Toros. In 2001, he became the head coach of the Texas Spurs, a position he held until 2003. Ed now owns and manages the TFC Youth soccer club in the Dallas area.