Mark Kerlin
Encyclopedia
Mark Kerlin is a retired U.S. soccer forward
who spent most of his career in indoor leagues. He also played one season in the Western Soccer League
and two in the American Professional Soccer League
.
Kerlin, brother of Scott Kerlin
, was born in Phoenix, Arizona
, where he attended Moon Valley High School
, graduating in 1980. In 1981, he signed with the Phoenix Inferno
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL).He played each of the last fourteen games of the 1981-1982 season, scoring ten goals. In 1982, he moved outdoors with the Oklahoma City Slickers
of the American Soccer League
. In 1983, the team changed its name to the Phoenix Pride. July 19, 1984, the expansion Dallas Sidekicks
purchased Kerlin’s contract from the Pride. He spent one season in Dallas before being traded to the Baltimore Blast
on June 19, 1985. He spent one season in Baltimore before moving to the Wichita Wings
in 1986. He played with the Wings for two seasons. In 1989, he signed with the Tacoma Stars. In 1989, Kerlin joined the Arizona Condors
, an expansion team in the outdoor Western Soccer League
(WSL). He was a first team All Star and one of the league’s leading scorers. However, he broke his leg at some point in the fall of 1990 and missed the 1990-1991 indoor season. In 1990, the WSL merged with the American Soccer League
to form the American Professional Soccer League
(APSL) and Kerlin and his team mates made the move to the APSL for the 1990 season. The team folded at the end of the season and Kerlin played with the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks
in 1991. In 1992, Kerlin was with the Cleveland Crunch
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). In 1993, the Continental Indoor Soccer League
introduced summer indoor soccer. Rather than playing another outdoor season, he signed with the Arizona Sandsharks
of the CISL. In 1994 and 1995, he played for the Las Vegas Dustdevils
, winning the CISL championship in 1994. In 1996, he moved to the Columbus Invaders of the NPSL but was back with the Sandsharks in 1997. The Sandsharks ceased operations at the end of the season and in 1998, Kerlin joined the Arizona Thunder
of the World Indoor Soccer League
. He played through the 1999-2000 season.
Following his retirement from professional soccer, Kerlin coached the Arizona Heatwave
in the United Soccer League
W-League
during the 2001 season.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who spent most of his career in indoor leagues. He also played one season in the Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
and two 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...
.
Kerlin, brother of Scott Kerlin
Scott Kerlin
Scott Kerlin is a retired American soccer player. Since retirement he has been actively involved in coaching.Kerlin, brother of Mark Kerlin, spent several years in the Phoenix Inferno youth system. In 1985, he played for the Dallas Americans of the United Soccer League.In July 1990, he founded the...
, was born in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, where he attended Moon Valley High School
Moon Valley High School
Moon Valley High School is located in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, and is a part of the Glendale Union High School District. It is currently home to more than 1677 students and 100 faculty members. Moon Valley is one of Arizona's leading educational establishments and is an excelling school according to...
, graduating in 1980. In 1981, he signed with the Phoenix Inferno
Phoenix Inferno
The Phoenix Inferno was an American indoor soccer team based out of Phoenix, United States, that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980 to 1983. In 1983 new ownership renamed the team the Phoenix Pride. The Pride folded at the end of the 1983-1984 season...
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...
(MISL).He played each of the last fourteen games of the 1981-1982 season, scoring ten goals. In 1982, he moved outdoors with the Oklahoma City Slickers
Oklahoma City Slickers
The Oklahoma City Slickers was an American soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that played in three lower division U.S. leagues, the American Soccer League, United Soccer League and USISL.-American Soccer League:...
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...
. In 1983, the team changed its name to the Phoenix Pride. July 19, 1984, the expansion Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
purchased Kerlin’s contract from the Pride. He spent one season in Dallas before being traded to the Baltimore Blast
Baltimore Blast (1980-92)
Baltimore Blast were a longtime member of the Major Indoor Soccer League. From 1978 to 1980, the team was played as Houston Summit but moved prior to the 1980-81 season. The team won the league's championship in 1984. The team folded when the MISL ceased operation in the summer of 1992.-History:The...
on June 19, 1985. He spent one season in Baltimore before moving to the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
in 1986. He played with the Wings for two seasons. In 1989, he signed with the Tacoma Stars. In 1989, Kerlin joined the Arizona Condors
Arizona Condors
The Arizona Condors was an American soccer team founded in 1989 as a member of the Western Soccer League. The team folded following the 1990 season.-History:In January 1989, the amateur Arizona Condors entered the Western Soccer League as an expansion team...
, an expansion team in the outdoor Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
(WSL). He was a first team All Star and one of the league’s leading scorers. However, he broke his leg at some point in the fall of 1990 and missed the 1990-1991 indoor season. In 1990, the WSL merged with 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...
to form 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...
(APSL) and Kerlin and his team mates made the move to the APSL for the 1990 season. The team folded at the end of the season and Kerlin played with the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks was a professional soccer team which came into existence in 1989 as a team in the Western Soccer League . The Blackhawks spent time in the American Professional Soccer League and the United States Interregional Soccer League...
in 1991. In 1992, Kerlin was with the Cleveland Crunch
Cleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). In 1993, the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
introduced summer indoor soccer. Rather than playing another outdoor season, he signed with the Arizona Sandsharks
Arizona Sandsharks
Arizona Sandsharks was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . It was founded in 1992 and folded in 1997, along with the CISL.-Arizona Sandsharks:...
of the CISL. In 1994 and 1995, he played for the Las Vegas Dustdevils
Las Vegas Dustdevils
The Las Vegas Dustdevils were an indoor soccer team based out of Las Vegas, Nevada that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . The team won the league championship in 1994, but folded after their second season.-History:...
, winning the CISL championship in 1994. In 1996, he moved to the Columbus Invaders of the NPSL but was back with the Sandsharks in 1997. The Sandsharks ceased operations at the end of the season and in 1998, Kerlin joined the Arizona Thunder
Arizona Thunder
The Arizona Thunder was a professional indoor soccer team based in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1997, the team was a member of the Premier Soccer Alliance. In 1998, the alliance, with some additional teams, reconstituted itself as the World Indoor Soccer League . The Thunder continued to play in the...
of the World Indoor Soccer League
World Indoor Soccer League
The World Indoor Soccer League was a United States based indoor soccer league that existed from 1998 to 2001 and consisted of nine teams.-History:...
. He played through the 1999-2000 season.
Following his retirement from professional soccer, Kerlin coached the Arizona Heatwave
Arizona Heatwave
The Arizona Heatwave were an American women's soccer team, founded in 2003, which played in the USL W-League for three years, until 2005, when they left the league and the franchise was terminated....
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...
W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
during the 2001 season.