John Bocwinski
Encyclopedia
John Bocwinski was an Argentine-American soccer defender
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 was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team at the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....


Youth

Bocwinski, born in Argentina to immigrant Polish parents, living in Argentina until he was sixteen when he emigrated to the United States with his family. They arrived in February 1953 and settled in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...

. Bocwinski immediately began playing soccer with local teams, first Polonia S.C. and then Syrena S.C., both located in Hammond, Indiana
Hammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....

.

Senior

In 1955, he joined Polonia S.C. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1959, serving his time in Germany where he was the captain of the U.S. Armed Forces soccer team. In 1961, he was released from the Army. He moved to Chicago, Illinois where he joined the A.A.C. Eagles
A.A.C. Eagles
A.A.C. Eagles is an American amateur soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1940, the team plays in Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....

 of the National Soccer League of Chicago
National Soccer League of Chicago
The National Soccer League of Chicago, formed by the merger of the Chicago Soccer League and International Soccer Football League of Chicago in 1928, is a semi-professional U.S...

  Two years later, he rejoined Milwaukee Polonia.

U.S. Olympic team

In 1970, he was selected for the U.S. Olympic soccer team
United States at the 1972 Summer Olympics
The United States competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 400 competitors, 316 men and 84 women, took part in 185 events in 21 sports.-Medalists:...

 as it began qualifications for the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....

. In 1971, the team played in the Pan American Games
Football at the 1971 Pan American Games
The sixth edition of the football tournament at the Pan American Games was held in five cities in Colombia: Cali Cartago, Buga, Palmira and Tuluá, from July 31 to August 12, 1971. Twelve teams divided in three groups of four did compete in a round-robin competition, with Mexico defending the title...

. The U.S. placed second in its first round group, but at the bottom of the standings in the final group. Despite this setback, the team went on to qualify for the Olympic tournament. Bocwinski played the first two U.S. games, a 0-0 tie with Mexico and a 3-0 loss to Malaysia.

Coach

In 1983, Bocwinski became the head coach at Carthage College
Carthage College
Carthage College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Situated in Kenosha, Wisconsin midway between Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the campus is on the shore of Lake Michigan and is home to 2,500 full-time and 900 part-time...

 in Kenosha. In his two seasons as coach, he took the team to a 12-21-2 (.371) record.

In addition to playing and coaching soccer, Bocwinski also worked over thirty years for the American Motors Corporation. In 1987, he was inducted into the Wisconsin Soccer Association Hall of Fame.
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