Joey Valenti
Encyclopedia
Joey Valenti was an American soccer midfielder
who played on the U.S. team at the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship
.
Valenti attended A. P. Leto High School in Tampa Bay, Florida where he was a 1986 Parade Magazine High School All American soccer player. Valenti and his team mates won the 1985 Florida State 4A soccer championship. In 1985, he was selected to play for the U.S. at the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship
. Valenti and his team mates went 1-2 in the group stage and did not qualify for the second round. In 1986, he entered Duke University
, playing for the Blue Devils' men's soccer team from 1986 to 1989. His freshman year, Duke won the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
and in 1988, Valenti was selected as a first team All American
garnering second team honors in 1989. In 1989, Valenti was the 1989 U.S. Open Cup
MVP as his team, the St. Petersburg Kickers
took the title. In 1992, Valenti signed with the Greensboro Dynamo of the USISL, playing for them in 1992 and 1993. In the summer of 1993, Valenti played three games with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the American Professional Soccer League
. He then returned to the Dynamo, now known as the Carolina Dynamo, playing with them until 1995. Valenti played 48 games, scoring 3 goals, over his four seasons with the Dynamo.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who played on the U.S. team at the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship
1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship
The 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship was held in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Dalian in People's Republic of China from July 31, 1985 to August 11, 1985...
.
Valenti attended A. P. Leto High School in Tampa Bay, Florida where he was a 1986 Parade Magazine High School All American soccer player. Valenti and his team mates won the 1985 Florida State 4A soccer championship. In 1985, he was selected to play for the U.S. at the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship
1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship
The 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship was held in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Dalian in People's Republic of China from July 31, 1985 to August 11, 1985...
. Valenti and his team mates went 1-2 in the group stage and did not qualify for the second round. In 1986, he entered Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, playing for the Blue Devils' men's soccer team from 1986 to 1989. His freshman year, Duke won the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
and in 1988, Valenti was selected as a first team All American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
garnering second team honors in 1989. In 1989, Valenti was the 1989 U.S. Open Cup
1989 U.S. Open Cup
-Final:Tournament MVP: Joey Valenti-Sources:*St. Petersburg Times*St. Louis Post-Dispatch*Newsday*The Capital Times*Wisconsin State Journal*Daily Breeze*Chicago Sun-Times*Washington Post*The Dallas Morning News*Los Angeles Times...
MVP as his team, the St. Petersburg Kickers
St. Petersburg Kickers
The St. Petersburg Kickers were an amateur American soccer team which won the 1989 U.S. Open Cup.Founded by Kurt Herbach in 1957, the Kickers won their first national title, the 1967 Over-30 championship. By 1989, the team had won eleven Sun Coast Soccer League championships and four Florida...
took the title. In 1992, Valenti signed with the Greensboro Dynamo of the USISL, playing for them in 1992 and 1993. In the summer of 1993, Valenti played three games with the Tampa Bay Rowdies 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...
. He then returned to the Dynamo, now known as the Carolina Dynamo, playing with them until 1995. Valenti played 48 games, scoring 3 goals, over his four seasons with the Dynamo.