Ole Mikkelsen
Encyclopedia
Ole Mikkelsen was an American soccer forward
who played in both the North American Soccer League
, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance. He is currently the head coach with the Ventura County Fusion
and Vice President of Information Technology at Mentor Corporation
.
Mikkelsen attended UCLA where he majored in Scandinavian languages and played on the men's soccer team from 1977 to 1980. He was a 1978 First Team All American
soccer player. In 1980, he played for Maccabi Los Angeles
. In 1981, the Washington Diplomats
selected Mikkelsen in the first round (13th overall) of the North American Soccer League
draft. The Diplomats folded at the end of the season and in October 1981, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers selected Mikkelsen in the dispersal draft. The Strikers released Mikkelsen during the preseason and he signed with the San Jose Earthquakes for the 1982 season. He then moved to the Los Angeles Lazers
of the Major Indoor Soccer League for two seasons. In 1987, he played for the Los Angeles Heat
of the Western Soccer Alliance.
He later worked for Amgen
before joining Mentor Corporation
where he is the Vice President of Information Technology. In 2008 he replaced Rudy Ybarra
as the assistant coach with the Ventura County Fusion
of the Premier Development League.
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 played in both 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:...
, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance. He is currently the head coach with the 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...
and Vice President of Information Technology at Mentor Corporation
Mentor Corporation
Mentor Worldwide LLC is a leading supplier of surgical aesthetics products to plastic surgeons worldwide. The company is based in Santa Barbara, California. It produces one of two federally approved silicone gel breast implants. Titled, MemoryGel, the product was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug...
.
Mikkelsen attended UCLA where he majored in Scandinavian languages and played on the men's soccer team from 1977 to 1980. He was a 1978 First Team All American
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:...
soccer player. In 1980, he played for Maccabi Los Angeles
Maccabi Los Angeles
Maccabi Los Angeles is a semi-professional soccer club based in Los Angeles California that competes in the National Soccer League of Los Angeles.- History :...
. In 1981, 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...
selected Mikkelsen in the first round (13th overall) 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:...
draft. The Diplomats folded at the end of the season and in October 1981, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers selected Mikkelsen in the dispersal draft. The Strikers released Mikkelsen during the preseason and he signed with the San Jose Earthquakes for the 1982 season. He then moved to the Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers were a soccer team based out of Los Angeles that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1982 to 1989.-History:Major Indoor Soccer League awarded a Los Angeles franchise to Jerry Buss on June 24, 1982. Buss had purchased the Philadelphia Fever and wanted to move it to...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League for two seasons. In 1987, he played for the Los Angeles Heat
Los Angeles Heat
Los Angeles Heat joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. They joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League...
of the Western Soccer Alliance.
He later worked for Amgen
Amgen
Amgen Inc. is an international biotechnology company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. Located in the Conejo Valley, Amgen is the world's largest independent biotech firm. The company employs approximately 17,000 staff members. Its products include Epogen, Aranesp, Enbrel, Kineret,...
before joining Mentor Corporation
Mentor Corporation
Mentor Worldwide LLC is a leading supplier of surgical aesthetics products to plastic surgeons worldwide. The company is based in Santa Barbara, California. It produces one of two federally approved silicone gel breast implants. Titled, MemoryGel, the product was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug...
where he is the Vice President of Information Technology. In 2008 he replaced Rudy Ybarra
Rudy Ybarra
Rudy Ybarra is a retired American soccer forward who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance.-Player:...
as the assistant coach with the 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...
of the Premier Development League.