Tom Kain
Encyclopedia
Tom Kain is the Nike
Director of Global Marketing (Soccer). He is also a retired U.S. soccer midfielder
. He played collegiate soccer at Duke University
where he was named the 1985 Hermann Trophy
winner as the top collegiate player. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team in 1986 and 1987.
in New Jersey in 1980. While there he wore number 7, which the school has retired. Wall High School won the New Jersey Group 3 State Championship the three years he played. He had 56 goals and had 40 assists during his junior and senior years at Wall. In 1999, he was named by The Star-Ledger
as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1980s. After high school, Kain played for Duke University
. His outstanding play for the Blue Devils led to his selection as a 1982 second team and 1983, 1984 and 1985 first team All American
. In 1985, he won the Hermann Trophy
as the outstanding men's collegiate soccer player. His school record of 51 career goals stood until broken by Ali Curtis
in 2000. During his tenure with the Blue Devils, the men's soccer team went 68-13-7. In 1996, Duke University
inducted Kain into its Athletics Hall of Fame.
club Union Solingen
, but never played a game. He had been the number one selection, by the New York Express
in the 1986 Major Indoor Soccer League
draft. After seeing no playing time in Germany, and suffering from a foot injury, he returned to the United States in the spring of 1987 where the Kansas City Comets
had purchased his contract rights from the banckrupt Express. He played for the Comets until his retirement in February 1991 in order to pursue business opportunities.
at the U-20 World Championship
. The U.S. went 0-1-2 in group play and did not qualify for the second round. Kain also played six games with the United States men's national soccer team
between 1986 and 1987. However, he has only 5 official caps as his last game with the team, a September 5, 1987 Olympic Qualifier is not considered a full international.
. He steadily rose through the company's ranks and became its Director of U.S. Soccer by his mid-thirties. Nike
eventually lured Kain away from Adidas and he remains with Nike today.
His success at Adidas and Nike led to SoccerAmerica
selecting him as their #24 most influential person in U.S. soccer.
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Director of Global Marketing (Soccer). He is also a retired U.S. soccer midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He played collegiate soccer at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
where he was named the 1985 Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
winner as the top collegiate player. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team in 1986 and 1987.
Youth
Kain graduated from Wall High SchoolWall High School (New Jersey)
Wall High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Wall Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Wall Township Public Schools....
in New Jersey in 1980. While there he wore number 7, which the school has retired. Wall High School won the New Jersey Group 3 State Championship the three years he played. He had 56 goals and had 40 assists during his junior and senior years at Wall. In 1999, he was named by The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1980s. After high school, Kain played for Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. His outstanding play for the Blue Devils led to his selection as a 1982 second team and 1983, 1984 and 1985 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:...
. In 1985, he won the Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
as the outstanding men's collegiate soccer player. His school record of 51 career goals stood until broken by Ali Curtis
Ali Curtis
Ali Curtis is a former American soccer forward. He was the 1999 Hermann Trophy and 2000 MAC Award winner before spending four seasons in Major League Soccer.-College:...
in 2000. During his tenure with the Blue Devils, the men's soccer team went 68-13-7. In 1996, Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
inducted Kain into its Athletics Hall of Fame.
Professional
After graduating from Duke, Kain achieved a remarkable first, the first native American to play professionally in Germany. He spent one year at Second Division2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
club Union Solingen
Union Solingen
1. FC Union Solingen is a German association football club from Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- History :The side can trace its roots back to an earlier Union Solingen club founded in 1897 out of the merger of a number of clubs from the district of Ohligs that would over time include Ohligs FC...
, but never played a game. He had been the number one selection, by the New York Express
New York Express
This article is about the former indoor soccer team.The New York Express were a soccer team based out of Uniondale, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played only one season, the 1986-1987 season. Their home arena was Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum...
in the 1986 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...
draft. After seeing no playing time in Germany, and suffering from a foot injury, he returned to the United States in the spring of 1987 where the Kansas City Comets
Kansas City Comets
The Kansas City Comets were a professional indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979–1991, when they folded...
had purchased his contract rights from the banckrupt Express. He played for the Comets until his retirement in February 1991 in order to pursue business opportunities.
National team
In 1981, Kain was a member of the U.S. U-20 national teamUnited States U-20 men's national soccer team
The United States U-20 men's national soccer team is the national under-20 soccer team of the United States of America and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. The highest level of competition in which the team competes is the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.The...
at the U-20 World Championship
1981 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship, the third edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Australia from 3 to 18 October 1981. The tournament took place in six venues—where a total of 32 matches were played...
. The U.S. went 0-1-2 in group play and did not qualify for the second round. Kain also played six games with the United States men's national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
between 1986 and 1987. However, he has only 5 official caps as his last game with the team, a September 5, 1987 Olympic Qualifier is not considered a full international.
Post-Playing Career
He retired from active playing at the age of 27 while with Kansas City and was hired by AdidasAdidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
. He steadily rose through the company's ranks and became its Director of U.S. Soccer by his mid-thirties. Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
eventually lured Kain away from Adidas and he remains with Nike today.
His success at Adidas and Nike led to SoccerAmerica
Soccer America Magazine
Soccer America Magazine is a national American magazine devoted to soccer founded in the early 1970s and is still being published. Its primary focus is soccer in the United States, but it also covers the international game extensively. It was begun by publisher Clay Berling during a period of...
selecting him as their #24 most influential person in U.S. soccer.