Nelson Pizarro
Encyclopedia
Nelson Pizarro is an American
soccer player, currently playing for San Diego Flash
in the National Premier Soccer League
.
for Lincoln Memorial University
. His style of attacking football was adored by fans and was extremely successful. The reason for this is growing up Nelson never played 11 aside soccer instead learning the game at his families indoor and 5 aside facility in Florida
. He played with adults at a very young age and became a very technically gifted player with strength to match.
He regularly scored goals in big matches and could be utilized by the coaching staff in many positions including central defence and as a wide midfielder or full back. However, his most effective position is an attacking midfielder due to his technical ability and effective runs into the box.
As a sophomore
at LMU he won several awards including a Gulf South Conference
Championship. In his upperlassman career he won more awards including All-American honors as he captained the team to not only another conference championship, this time the South Atlantic Conference
, but two regional championships, a final four berth in 2006 and in his last game at the University the National Championship final against Franklin Pierce University in 2007.
During his college years Pizarro also played in the USL Premier Development League
for Ventura County Fusion
,
on April 30, 2008 after impressing head coach Curt Onalfo and GM Peter Vermes during a two-day open tryout . He made his full professional debut for the Wizards on 8 July 2008, in a US Open Cup quarter final game against the Seattle Sounders
.
He was waived by the Wizards in May, 2009. He later signed with USL-1 side Miami FC
, and played 8 games for the Blues before being released at the end of the season.
Having been able to sign with a professional club elsewhere, Pizarro moved to California to play an exhibition season with the reborn San Diego Flash
in 2010, in preparation for their return to full competition in 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player, currently playing for San Diego Flash
San Diego Flash
San Diego Flash is an American soccer team based in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1998, the team returned to competitive play in 2011 when it made its debut in the Southwest Flight of the West Division of the National Premier Soccer League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer...
in the National Premier Soccer League
National Premier Soccer League
The National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
.
College and Amateur
Pizarro played college soccerCollege 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...
for Lincoln Memorial University
Lincoln Memorial University
Lincoln Memorial University is a private four-year co-educational liberal arts college located in Harrogate, Tennessee.LMU's campus borders on Cumberland Gap National Historical Park....
. His style of attacking football was adored by fans and was extremely successful. The reason for this is growing up Nelson never played 11 aside soccer instead learning the game at his families indoor and 5 aside facility in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He played with adults at a very young age and became a very technically gifted player with strength to match.
He regularly scored goals in big matches and could be utilized by the coaching staff in many positions including central defence and as a wide midfielder or full back. However, his most effective position is an attacking midfielder due to his technical ability and effective runs into the box.
As a sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
at LMU he won several awards including a Gulf South Conference
Gulf South Conference
The Gulf South Conference is a College Athletic Conference which operates in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division II.-History:...
Championship. In his upperlassman career he won more awards including All-American honors as he captained the team to not only another conference championship, this time the South Atlantic Conference
South Atlantic Conference
The South Atlantic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division II...
, but two regional championships, a final four berth in 2006 and in his last game at the University the National Championship final against Franklin Pierce University in 2007.
During his college years Pizarro also played in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
for Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County Fusion is an American soccer team based in Ventura, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games in...
,
Professional
Pizarro was signed to a developmental contract by Kansas City WizardsKansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
on April 30, 2008 after impressing head coach Curt Onalfo and GM Peter Vermes during a two-day open tryout . He made his full professional debut for the Wizards on 8 July 2008, in a US Open Cup quarter final game against the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (USL)
Seattle Sounders was an American professional soccer team founded in 1994 as a member of the American Professional Soccer League. In 1997, the team became a member of the USL First Division, the second tier of the United States soccer pyramid, until 2008, after which the majority of the team's...
.
He was waived by the Wizards in May, 2009. He later signed with USL-1 side Miami FC
Miami FC
Fort Lauderdale Strikers is an American professional association football team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, and played 8 games for the Blues before being released at the end of the season.
Having been able to sign with a professional club elsewhere, Pizarro moved to California to play an exhibition season with the reborn San Diego Flash
San Diego Flash
San Diego Flash is an American soccer team based in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1998, the team returned to competitive play in 2011 when it made its debut in the Southwest Flight of the West Division of the National Premier Soccer League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer...
in 2010, in preparation for their return to full competition in 2011.