Klaas de Boer
Encyclopedia
Klaas de Boer is a retired U.S. soccer player and coach. He played professionally in the American Soccer League
and was the 1977 NSCAA
Coach of the Year and 1985 American Indoor Soccer Association Coach of the Year. He coached his teams to two league titles, the 1985 and 1986 AISA championships.
in Holland, Michigan
before entering Michigan State University
. He played soccer in both high school and college. In 1973, he signed with the Cleveland Stars in the American Soccer League
. At the end of the season, the Cobras came under new ownership who changed the team name to the Cleveland Cobras. He played one more season in Cleveland.
in 1972 as head soccer coach. Over six season, he compiled a 55-25-3 record and was named the 1977 NSCAA Coach of the Year.y He then served as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Aztecs
and Detroit Express
of the North American Soccer League
. In 1979, he was hired as an assistant coach by the expansion Detroit Lightning
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
. In 1984, he became a head coach with the Canton Invaders
of the newly established American Indoor Soccer Association. He took the Invaders to the league championship, winning Coach of the Year honors. In his two season in Canton, he compiled a 50-32-18 (.640) record and won two championships. His win percentage is the highest in U.S. indoor soccer history. Today he runs the Dutch Masters soccer school in his hometown of Holland, Michigan
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 was the 1977 NSCAA
NSCAA
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America is an organization of American soccer coaches founded in 1941. The NSCAA has grown from a handful of college soccer coaches to more than 22,000 members, making it the largest coaching organization in the world. Its members coach at all levels of...
Coach of the Year and 1985 American Indoor Soccer Association Coach of the Year. He coached his teams to two league titles, the 1985 and 1986 AISA championships.
Player
DeBoer attended Holland Christian High SchoolHolland Christian High School
Holland Christian High School is the only grade 9-12 building in the Holland Christian Schools system....
in Holland, Michigan
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
before entering Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. He played soccer in both high school and college. In 1973, he signed with the Cleveland Stars in 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...
. At the end of the season, the Cobras came under new ownership who changed the team name to the Cleveland Cobras. He played one more season in Cleveland.
Coach
Even while playing professionally, DeBoer was coaching at the collegiate level. He was hired by Cleveland State UniversityCleveland State University
Cleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
in 1972 as head soccer coach. Over six season, he compiled a 55-25-3 record and was named the 1977 NSCAA Coach of the Year.y He then served as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Aztecs
Los Angeles Aztecs
The Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...
and Detroit Express
Detroit Express
The Detroit Express was a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned and directed by famous English soccer pundit Jimmy Hill who was also the managing...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. In 1979, he was hired as an assistant coach by the expansion Detroit Lightning
Detroit Lightning
The Detroit Lightning was a Major Indoor Soccer League franchise which existed for only one season, 1979-1980. The Lightning finished that season at 15-17...
of 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...
. In 1984, he became a head coach with the Canton Invaders
Canton Invaders
The Canton Invaders was an indoor soccer club based in Canton, Ohio that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Columbus Invaders.- Canton Invaders :...
of the newly established American Indoor Soccer Association. He took the Invaders to the league championship, winning Coach of the Year honors. In his two season in Canton, he compiled a 50-32-18 (.640) record and won two championships. His win percentage is the highest in U.S. indoor soccer history. Today he runs the Dutch Masters soccer school in his hometown of Holland, Michigan
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....