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John Kerr (soccer)
Encyclopedia
John Kerr, Jr. is an American retired soccer midfielder
who played professionally in the United States, Canada, England, France and Northern Ireland
during a much traveled and varied playing career. He is currently head coach
of the Duke University
men's soccer team
. Kerr was named the 1986 Hermann Award winner as the top collegiate player of the year. He also earned sixteen caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team.
. The son of Scottish footballer John Kerr, Sr.
, Kerr, Jr. won the 1984 James P. McGuire Cup with Montgomery United and in 1986, while playing the collegiate off-season with his father's Fairfax Spartans
, he won the National Amateur Cup
. Kerr played collegiately
at Duke University
. During his four years with the Blue Devils he was a two time first-team All-America
. In 1986, he was the captain of the Duke team which won the NCAA national championship
. He won the Hermann Award as the NCAA Player of the Year as a senior. In 2004, Duke University inducted Kerr into its Sports Hall of Fame.
club Harrow Borough
towards the end of 1986–1987 season reportedly attracting the attention of several English Football League
professional clubs. In June 1987, the Tacoma Stars of the Major Indoor Soccer League selected Kerr in the second round of the MISL draft. He declined to sign with the Stars. In the summer of 1987, he returned to England and signed with Portsmouth
(then newly promoted to the First Division
) on the recommendation of Peter Osgood
. Making his First Division debut for the club away at Oxford United
in a 4–2 defeat on August 15, 1987. During the 1987–88 season, Kerr made a first team total of four league and two cup game appearances together with a 3-month loan spell at then Fourth Division club, Peterborough United
. During one of those first team appearances for Portsmouth, Kerr was to make English Football League
history when on September 19, 1987 while on the field of play as a replacement in a First Division away fixture at Watford
, he became the first substitute to be likewise, substituted. The English Football League rule change that increased the number of player substitutions during a game from one to two per side having been introduced at the start of the previous 1986–87 season. Kerr made his final First Division appearance for Portsmouth as a substitute in a 4–1 away defeat to Luton Town
on March 29, 1988. Following his release from Portsmouth, Kerr returned to the United States and signed with the Washington Stars
of the American Soccer League
(and coached at the time by his father, John Kerr.Sr) in March 1988. He remained with the Stars for three seasons, the last in the American Professional Soccer League
. While playing for the Stars during the summer, Kerr returned to Europe with English club Wycombe Wanderers, then playing in the GM Vauxhall Conference League
, for the 1988–89 season. Making a total of 48 appearances and scoring 22 times in league and cup games for the Buckinghamshire
club on its way to finishing in fourth position behind eventual Conference champions of that season, Maidstone United
. Following his involvement with the U.S. squad as it prepared for the 1990 FIFA World Cup
, Kerr had spells during 1990–91 with French Third Division side Boulogne-Sur-Mer
and Northern Ireland club Linfield
. In 1991, he returned to Canada to play one season with the Hamilton Steelers of the Canadian Soccer League. In October 1991, Kerr signed with the San Diego Sockers of the Major Soccer League
. Kerr established himself as a regular on the team which went on to win the 1992 MSL championship. Following the collapse of the MSL during the summer of 1992, Kerr briefly spent time as an assistant coach with the Duke Blue Devils
men's soccer team before returning to England, joining Isthmian League
club Chertsey Town
in the fall of 1992. He then moved to Football League
club Millwall signing as a free agent on February 26, 1993 before temporary returning to the U.S. during the off-season summer break to continue his assistant coaching duties at Duke. Kerr went on to make a total of 40 first team appearances for Millwall in league and cup games during the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons, scoring 7 goals in the process. Towards the end of his time with Millwall, he also had a short on loan period with Walsall
. In May 1995, Millwall gave Kerr a free transfer to the San Diego Sockers, however, he did not play for the Sockers. On February 8, 1996, the Dallas Burn selected Kerr in the ninth round (eighty-third overall) on the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
. On June 27, 1996, Kerr was part of the first in-season trade in MLS history when the Burn dealt him to the New England Revolution
for Zak Ibsen
. He was later loaned out to the Connecticut Wolves
. In 1998, Kerr was appointed player-coach
with the Worcester Wildfire of the USL A-League, the following year the club was renamed the Boston Bulldogs
after a change of ownership. In April 1999, Kerr returned on loan to the Revolution when several players on the team were ruled out because of injury. However, Kerr did not play during his loan period.
. As a result, missing out on both U.S. FIFA World Cup squads for Italy (1990) and the USA (1994). However, that year he again played for the team. While a brief return, it was significant in that he was on the U.S. team that surprisingly reached the semi-finals, eventually being placed fourth, at the 1995 Copa America
. He finished his national team career with 16 appearances and 2 goals.
serving briefly as an assistant coach under head coach
John Rennie, who had coached Kerr during his college playing days as a Duke Blue Devil
. In 1997, he was the junior varsity
and assistant varsity
coach with Wellesley High School
in Wellesley, Massachusetts
. The following year of 1998, he became player-coach
of the Worcester Wildfire
in the USL A-League returning again in 1999 as player-coach for the renamed Boston Bulldogs
. On July 14, 1999, Harvard
announced it had hired Kerr to coach its men's soccer team. However, Kerr did not move to that position until August 27, 1999 upon the completion of the A-League season. He coached the Harvard Crimson
through to the 2007 fall season, finishing with an Ivy League Conference
record of 81–57–13. On December 19, 2007 Kerr was named head coach of his alma mater, Duke University of the Atlantic Coast Conference
following the retirement of John Rennie. He now coaches Triangle United Gold in Chapel Hill, North Carlina.
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 professionally in the United States, Canada, England, France and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
during a much traveled and varied playing career. He is currently head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the 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...
men's soccer team
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...
. Kerr was named the 1986 Hermann Award winner as the top collegiate player of the year. He also earned sixteen caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team.
Youth
Born in Canada, Kerr grew up in Falls Church, VirginiaFalls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
. The son of Scottish footballer John Kerr, Sr.
John Kerr, Sr.
John Kerr, Sr. was a North American Soccer League and Canadian international soccer midfielder.-Professional:...
, Kerr, Jr. won the 1984 James P. McGuire Cup with Montgomery United and in 1986, while playing the collegiate off-season with his father's Fairfax Spartans
Washington Stars
The Washington Stars were an American soccer team established in 1987 as F.C. Washington. The team entered the American Soccer League in 1988 under the name Washington Stars and merged with the Maryland Bays in 1990.-History:...
, he won the National Amateur Cup
National Amateur Cup
The National Amateur Cup is an American soccer competition open to all amateur teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation...
. Kerr played collegiately
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...
at 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...
. During his four years with the Blue Devils he was a two time first-team All-America
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:...
. In 1986, he was the captain of the Duke team which won the NCAA national 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...
. He won the Hermann Award as the NCAA Player of the Year as a senior. In 2004, Duke University inducted Kerr into its Sports Hall of Fame.
Professional
In the spring of 1987, Kerr spent his last semester of college as an exchange student in England. While in England, he played with Isthmian LeagueIsthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
club Harrow Borough
Harrow Borough F.C.
Harrow Borough Football Club is a semi-professional English association football club based in Harrow, in Greater London. The club are currently members of the Isthmian League Premier Division and play at Earlsmead Stadium....
towards the end of 1986–1987 season reportedly attracting the attention of several English Football League
English Football League
English football league is not specific; it may refer to:* The Football League - the highest four divisions of English football until 1992 and the three divisions below the Premier League since 1992;...
professional clubs. In June 1987, the Tacoma Stars of the Major Indoor Soccer League selected Kerr in the second round of the MISL draft. He declined to sign with the Stars. In the summer of 1987, he returned to England and signed with Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
(then newly promoted to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
) on the recommendation of Peter Osgood
Peter Osgood
Peter Leslie Osgood was an English footballer who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. He is best remembered for representing Chelsea and Southampton at club level, and was also capped four times by England in the early 1970s.-Chelsea:Born in a small road named Kentons Lane in Windsor, Osgood...
. Making his First Division debut for the club away at Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
in a 4–2 defeat on August 15, 1987. During the 1987–88 season, Kerr made a first team total of four league and two cup game appearances together with a 3-month loan spell at then Fourth Division club, Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
. During one of those first team appearances for Portsmouth, Kerr was to make English Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
history when on September 19, 1987 while on the field of play as a replacement in a First Division away fixture at Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, he became the first substitute to be likewise, substituted. The English Football League rule change that increased the number of player substitutions during a game from one to two per side having been introduced at the start of the previous 1986–87 season. Kerr made his final First Division appearance for Portsmouth as a substitute in a 4–1 away defeat to Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on March 29, 1988. Following his release from Portsmouth, Kerr returned to the United States and signed with the Washington Stars
Washington Stars
The Washington Stars were an American soccer team established in 1987 as F.C. Washington. The team entered the American Soccer League in 1988 under the name Washington Stars and merged with the Maryland Bays in 1990.-History:...
of the 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...
(and coached at the time by his father, John Kerr.Sr) in March 1988. He remained with the Stars for three seasons, the last in 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...
. While playing for the Stars during the summer, Kerr returned to Europe with English club Wycombe Wanderers, then playing in the GM Vauxhall Conference League
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
, for the 1988–89 season. Making a total of 48 appearances and scoring 22 times in league and cup games for the Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
club on its way to finishing in fourth position behind eventual Conference champions of that season, Maidstone United
Maidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
. Following his involvement with the U.S. squad as it prepared for the 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
, Kerr had spells during 1990–91 with French Third Division side Boulogne-Sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer
-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
and Northern Ireland club Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
. In 1991, he returned to Canada to play one season with the Hamilton Steelers of the Canadian Soccer League. In October 1991, Kerr signed with the San Diego Sockers of the Major 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...
. Kerr established himself as a regular on the team which went on to win the 1992 MSL championship. Following the collapse of the MSL during the summer of 1992, Kerr briefly spent time as an assistant coach with the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
men's soccer team before returning to England, joining Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
club Chertsey Town
Chertsey Town F.C.
Chertsey Town Football Club is an football club based in Chertsey, Surrey, England. The club was established in 1890 and, from the Surrey Senior League, joined the Metropolitan League in the 1964–65 season. They have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Vase twice in their history...
in the fall of 1992. He then moved to Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
club Millwall signing as a free agent on February 26, 1993 before temporary returning to the U.S. during the off-season summer break to continue his assistant coaching duties at Duke. Kerr went on to make a total of 40 first team appearances for Millwall in league and cup games during the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons, scoring 7 goals in the process. Towards the end of his time with Millwall, he also had a short on loan period with Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
. In May 1995, Millwall gave Kerr a free transfer to the San Diego Sockers, however, he did not play for the Sockers. On February 8, 1996, the Dallas Burn selected Kerr in the ninth round (eighty-third overall) on 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...
. On June 27, 1996, Kerr was part of the first in-season trade in MLS history when the Burn dealt him to the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
for Zak Ibsen
Zak Ibsen
Zak Ibsen is an American soccer player who last played for San Jose Earthquakes. He earned three caps with the United States men's national soccer team and was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1992 Summer Olympics...
. He was later loaned out to the Connecticut Wolves
Connecticut Wolves
The Connecticut Wolves were a soccer club that competed in the United Soccer Leagues from 1993 to 2002. Based in New Britain, Connecticut, and playing in Veteran's Stadium, the club started in the D-3 Pro League before moving to the A-League in 1997.-History:...
. In 1998, Kerr was appointed player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
with the Worcester Wildfire of the USL A-League, the following year the club was renamed the Boston Bulldogs
Boston Bulldogs (soccer)
The Boston Bulldogs were a soccer club originally founded in 1996 as the Worcester Wildfire. The team debuted in the USISL and would play in the A-League from 1997 to 2000...
after a change of ownership. In April 1999, Kerr returned on loan to the Revolution when several players on the team were ruled out because of injury. However, Kerr did not play during his loan period.
U.S. National Team
While at Duke, Kerr began his international career having become a naturalized U.S. citizen. He soon became a regular player on the team and saw considerable playing time until 1988. From then until 1995, he failed to earn any more capsCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
. As a result, missing out on both U.S. FIFA World Cup squads for Italy (1990) and the USA (1994). However, that year he again played for the team. While a brief return, it was significant in that he was on the U.S. team that surprisingly reached the semi-finals, eventually being placed fourth, at the 1995 Copa America
Copa América 1995
The 1995 Copa América football tournament was staged in Uruguay. It was won by Uruguay, who beat Brazil 5-3 in the penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in the final. All 10 CONMEBOL members took part, with Mexico and the USA invited in order to reach 12 teams....
. He finished his national team career with 16 appearances and 2 goals.
Coaching
Kerr began coaching while in England and continued intermittently over the years until he finally retired from playing professionally in 1997. In 1992 and 1993, he returned to Duke UniversityDuke 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...
serving briefly as an assistant coach under head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
John Rennie, who had coached Kerr during his college playing days as a Duke Blue Devil
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
. In 1997, he was the junior varsity
Junior varsity
Primarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...
and assistant varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
coach with Wellesley High School
Wellesley High School
Wellesley High School is a public high school in Wellesley, Massachusetts, executing grades 9 through 12. Its current principal is Dr. Andrew Keough, who assumed the position in 2007 after the retirement of Ms. Rena Mirkin. Its two assistant principals are Lynne Novogroski and Nora Curran...
in Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of Greater Boston. The population was 27,982 at the time of the 2010 census.It is best known as the home of Wellesley College and Babson College...
. The following year of 1998, he became player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
of the Worcester Wildfire
Boston Bulldogs (soccer)
The Boston Bulldogs were a soccer club originally founded in 1996 as the Worcester Wildfire. The team debuted in the USISL and would play in the A-League from 1997 to 2000...
in the USL A-League returning again in 1999 as player-coach for the renamed Boston Bulldogs
Boston Bulldogs (soccer)
The Boston Bulldogs were a soccer club originally founded in 1996 as the Worcester Wildfire. The team debuted in the USISL and would play in the A-League from 1997 to 2000...
. On July 14, 1999, Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
announced it had hired Kerr to coach its men's soccer team. However, Kerr did not move to that position until August 27, 1999 upon the completion of the A-League season. He coached the Harvard Crimson
Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2006, there were 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country...
through to the 2007 fall season, finishing with an Ivy League Conference
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
record of 81–57–13. On December 19, 2007 Kerr was named head coach of his alma mater, Duke University of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
following the retirement of John Rennie. He now coaches Triangle United Gold in Chapel Hill, North Carlina.