Ralph Black (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Ralph Black is a retired Scottish-American soccer defender
who spent most of his career in indoor soccer
.
of Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL). The Avalanche folded at the end of 1981-1982 season. He then moved to the Baltimore Blast. However, in 1984, MISL granted a franchise in Washington State, known as the Tacoma Stars. Black established himself as a mainstay in the Stars defense. He spent at least the 1989-1990 season with the San Diego Sockers.http://www.kicksfan.com/calendar/february/28.htm However, he was back in Tacoma for the 1991-1992 season.http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/allender/misl9192.htm The Stars and MISL folded in 1992. He finished his career in the MISL ranked sixth on the all time games played list with 442 games.http://www.oursportscentral.com/misl/leaders.html
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) for two seasons, 1992-1994.
of the newly established Continental Indoor Soccer League
(CISL). In 1994, he was the CISL Defender of the Year as well as a member of the All-CISL First Team. In 1995, he moved back to Pacific Northwest
to play for the Seattle SeaDogs
. He was named to the 1995 CISL All Star game, but was unable to play due to an injury. However, in 1996, he moved to the Portland Pride
. He played that and the 1997 season with the Pride.
. The Pythons then helped found the Premier Soccer Alliance (PSA). The PSA played one season, 1998, before changin its name to the World Indoor Soccer League
(WISL). Black remained with the team through all these changes, becoming the Pythons’ head coach for 1998 and 1999. At the end of the 1999 season, the Pythons folded when a rumoured move to Tacoma, Washington
fell through.
during the 1988 season. In 1992, between the folding of the Tacoma Stars and his arrival in Buffalo to play for the Blizzard, Black spent a season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the American Professional Soccer League
(APSL).
.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who spent most of his career in indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
.
MISL
Black began his career with the Denver AvalancheDenver Avalanche
The Denver Avalanche was an American soccer team based out of Denver, Colorado that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980 to 1982. Their home arena was McNichols Sports Arena...
of 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). The Avalanche folded at the end of 1981-1982 season. He then moved to the Baltimore Blast. However, in 1984, MISL granted a franchise in Washington State, known as the Tacoma Stars. Black established himself as a mainstay in the Stars defense. He spent at least the 1989-1990 season with the San Diego Sockers.http://www.kicksfan.com/calendar/february/28.htm However, he was back in Tacoma for the 1991-1992 season.http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/allender/misl9192.htm The Stars and MISL folded in 1992. He finished his career in the MISL ranked sixth on the all time games played list with 442 games.http://www.oursportscentral.com/misl/leaders.html
NPSL
After the MISL folded, Black moved to the Buffalo BlizzardBuffalo Blizzard
The Buffalo Blizzard was an indoor soccer team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was a member of the now defunct NPSL from 1992 to 2001. From 1992-1996, the team played at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, and they moved to HSBC Arena in 1996 where they played until 2001.The team was originally...
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) for two seasons, 1992-1994.
CISL
However, in 1993 Black moved back west to sign with the expansion Anaheim SplashAnaheim Splash
The Anaheim Splash was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . It was founded in 1992 as the Los Angeles United, but was sold after the season. The new ownership moved the team to Anaheim, California and renamed it the Anaheim Splash...
of the newly established 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...
(CISL). In 1994, he was the CISL Defender of the Year as well as a member of the All-CISL First Team. In 1995, he moved back to Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
to play for 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:...
. He was named to the 1995 CISL All Star game, but was unable to play due to an injury. However, in 1996, he moved to the Portland Pride
Portland Pride
The Portland Pride are a defunct indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1993 to 1997.-History:In 1993, a new league, the Continental Indoor Soccer League began its first season. Traditionally, indoor soccer has been a winter sport, but the CISL decided to...
. He played that and the 1997 season with the Pride.
PSA/WISL
At the end of the 1997 season, the CISL folded and the Pride, under new ownership, changed its name to the Portland PythonsPortland Pythons
Portland Pythons are a defunct indoor soccer team that played in the Premier Soccer Alliance in 1998 which changed its name to the World Indoor Soccer League in 1999. The team folded at the end of the 1999 season.-History:...
. The Pythons then helped found the Premier Soccer Alliance (PSA). The PSA played one season, 1998, before changin its name to 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:...
(WISL). Black remained with the team through all these changes, becoming the Pythons’ head coach for 1998 and 1999. At the end of the 1999 season, the Pythons folded when a rumoured move to Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
fell through.
Outdoor soccer
Black was on the roster of the San Jose Earthquakes of the Western Soccer LeagueWestern 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...
during the 1988 season. In 1992, between the folding of the Tacoma Stars and his arrival in Buffalo to play for the Blizzard, Black spent a season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of 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).
Coaching
After retiring as a player, Black went on to be head coach of the Portland Pythons. He has been a boys' youth soccer coach in recent years and currently coaches boys' youth teams with Washington Premier Football Club in Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
.