Mirko Castillo
Encyclopedia
Mirko Castillo was a Peruvian soccer forward
who spent his entire professional career in the United States. He played two seasons in the American Soccer League
, tying Ricardo Alonso
as the 1990 league leading scorer. He then played two seasons in the American Professional Soccer League
and over a dozen years playing in five indoor leagues.
youth teams, he moved to the United States in 1988 to sign with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League
. In 1989, he moved to the Miami Sharks where he tied Ricardo Alonso
as the league’s leading scorer with ten goals. However, he finished second to Alonso in the points standings. In 1990, the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League
to form the American Professional Soccer League
. That summer, Castillo played for both the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Washington Diplomats
in the APSL. In the summer of 1991, he returned to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, but played only two games with the team.
of the National Professional Soccer League in 1989. The Rogues traded him to the Chicago Power
in mid-December. He spent two seasons in Chicago before moving to the St. Louis Storm
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL) where he had three goals and one assist in six games. After being released by St. Louis he was signed by the San Diego Sockers on December 6, 1991. In 1992, the MISL collapsed and Castillo moved back to the Chicago Power. Castillo played the 1992-1993 season, but was released by the Power in the summer of 1993 after he engaged in several heated confrontations with head coach Pato Margetic. On January 8, 1994, the Power shuffled its coaching staff and signed Castillo for the remainder of the season. That summer, he joined the Houston Hotshots
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
, a summer indoor league. He moved to the Arizona Sandsharks
for the 1994 CISL season, scoring 23 goals. In the fall of 1995, he signed with the Detroit Rockers
, playing the 1995-1996 NPSL season. In 1996, Castillo began the summer indoor season with the Seattle SeaDogs
of the CISL, but was waived on July 25, 1996. In September, he signed with the Indiana Twisters
. He played the rest of the 1996 season in Indiana and the entire 1997 CISL season there. At the end of the 1997 season, the Twisters and CISL collapsed and in September 1997 the Edmonton Drillers
selected Castillo in the supplemental draft. Castillo did not sign with the Drillers, but moved to the Baltimore Spirit for the 1997-1998 season. On February 5, 1998 the Spirit waived Castillo. He then played the 1998-1999 season with the Montreal Impact
in the NPSL. He was back with the Houston Hotshots
in the summer of 1999. This time, the Hotshots were in the World Indoor Soccer League
. That fall, he signed with the St. Louis Ambush
of the NPSL, but played only three games.
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 his entire professional career in the United States. He played two seasons 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...
, tying Ricardo Alonso
Ricardo Alonso
Ricardo Alonso was a soccer player who began as a forward before moving to defender later in his career. Alonso spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in Major Indoor Soccer League, at least three in the American Indoor Soccer Association, one in the American Soccer League and...
as the 1990 league leading scorer. He then played two seasons 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...
and over a dozen years playing in five indoor leagues.
Outdoor
Although Castillo began playing soccer in Peru, including time on the Alianza LimaAlianza Lima
Club Alianza Lima is a Peruvian First Division football club who plays at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva in the La Victoria District of Lima, Peru. They are one of the most famous and well supported clubs in the country and the oldest team in the Peruvian First Division.Alianza enjoyed success...
youth teams, he moved to the United States in 1988 to sign with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 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 1989, he moved to the Miami Sharks where he tied Ricardo Alonso
Ricardo Alonso
Ricardo Alonso was a soccer player who began as a forward before moving to defender later in his career. Alonso spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in Major Indoor Soccer League, at least three in the American Indoor Soccer Association, one in the American Soccer League and...
as the league’s leading scorer with ten goals. However, he finished second to Alonso in the points standings. In 1990, the ASL merged with 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...
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...
. That summer, Castillo played for both the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Washington Diplomats
Washington Diplomats
The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
in the APSL. In the summer of 1991, he returned to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, but played only two games with the team.
Indoor
Castillo began his indoor soccer career with the Memphis RoguesMemphis Storm
The Memphis Storm was an American soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee which existed from 1986 to 1994 under several names in both the American Indoor Soccer Association and the USISL.-American Indoor Soccer Association:...
of the National Professional Soccer League in 1989. The Rogues traded him to the Chicago Power
Chicago Power
The Chicago Power were an indoor soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association and National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Edmonton Drillers.-Year-by-year:...
in mid-December. He spent two seasons in Chicago before moving to the St. Louis Storm
St. Louis Storm
The St. Louis Storm were a soccer team based out of St. Louis that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played from 1989 to 1992. Their home arena was St...
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) where he had three goals and one assist in six games. After being released by St. Louis he was signed by the San Diego Sockers on December 6, 1991. In 1992, the MISL collapsed and Castillo moved back to the Chicago Power. Castillo played the 1992-1993 season, but was released by the Power in the summer of 1993 after he engaged in several heated confrontations with head coach Pato Margetic. On January 8, 1994, the Power shuffled its coaching staff and signed Castillo for the remainder of the season. That summer, he joined the Houston Hotshots
Houston Hotshots
The Houston Hotshots were a professional indoor soccer team in Houston, Texas. They played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1994 to 1997, and moved to the World Indoor Soccer League in 1999 after the CISL folded...
of 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...
, a summer indoor league. He moved to 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:...
for the 1994 CISL season, scoring 23 goals. In the fall of 1995, he signed with the Detroit Rockers
Detroit Rockers
The Detroit Rockers were an indoor soccer team in the National Professional Soccer League from 1990 to 2001. They played in Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit, Michigan as well as The Palace of Auburn Hills and Compuware Sports Arena in the suburbs...
, playing the 1995-1996 NPSL season. In 1996, Castillo began the summer indoor season with the Seattle SeaDogs
Seattle SeaDogs
The Seattle SeaDogs are a defunct indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1995 to 1997. They won the last CISL championship in 1997.-History:...
of the CISL, but was waived on July 25, 1996. In September, he signed with the Indiana Twisters
Indiana Twisters
The Indiana Twisters were a professional indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League in 1996 and 1997....
. He played the rest of the 1996 season in Indiana and the entire 1997 CISL season there. At the end of the 1997 season, the Twisters and CISL collapsed and in September 1997 the Edmonton Drillers
Edmonton Drillers (NPSL)
-Resurrection:On August 23, 1996, at a hastily arranged press conference at Telus Field it was announced that Peter Pocklington has purchased the Chicago Power of the National Professional Soccer League and was moving them to Edmonton for the rapidly approaching 96/97 season...
selected Castillo in the supplemental draft. Castillo did not sign with the Drillers, but moved to the Baltimore Spirit for the 1997-1998 season. On February 5, 1998 the Spirit waived Castillo. He then played the 1998-1999 season with the Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
in the NPSL. He was back with the Houston Hotshots
Houston Hotshots
The Houston Hotshots were a professional indoor soccer team in Houston, Texas. They played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1994 to 1997, and moved to the World Indoor Soccer League in 1999 after the CISL folded...
in the summer of 1999. This time, the Hotshots were in 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:...
. That fall, he signed with the St. Louis Ambush
St. Louis Ambush
The St. Louis Ambush was a professional indoor soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri. Originally located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the team played one season at the Tulsas Pavilion Expo Square. Vernon Riggs was the General Manager. Keith Dial was the Managing General Partner. Former Tulsa Roughneck...
of the NPSL, but played only three games.