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Troy Edwards (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Troy Edwards is a retired U.S. soccer defender
who played professionally in several U.S. leagues including one season in Major League Soccer
. He was a member of two college championship teams and in 1989 scored a goal in the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
national championship victory over the San Diego Nomads
.
. He played soccer at Miami Killian High School
where he was an All-Dade County player. In 1982, he entered Miami-Dade Community College, playing on the men’s soccer team in 1982 and 1983. In 1983, the Miami-Dade won the National Junior College National Championship, defeating Forest Park Community College. He then transferred to Florida International University
for the 1984 and 1985 seasons. In 1984, FIU won the NCAA Division II Championship over Seattle Pacific University
.
. That season, he was a first team All Star. The next season, he joined the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
. That year, the Strikers won the ASL title, putting them in the first national championship game played since the demise of the North American Soccer League
in 1984. The Strikers met the San Diego Nomads
of the Western Soccer League
, coming from behind to win 3-1 with Edwards scoring the third Strikers goal. He played for the Strikers through the 1993 season. In addition to playing the summer outdoor season with the Strikers, Edwards played at least one indoor winter season, 1992-1993, with the Canton Invaders
in the National Professional Soccer League.
In 1994, he played for the Carolina Vipers
in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
, then spent the 1995 season with the Myrtle Beach Boyz
in the USISL. On February 6, 1996, the Colorado Rapids
selected Edwards in the fifth round (forty-second overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
. He played only four games for the Rapids, suffering from various injuries and having groin surgery. He retired from playing professionally at the end of the season.
, a position he held until at least 2001. He also served as a physical education teacher and the athletic director of Holy Family Catholic School in Orlando, Florida.
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 played professionally in several U.S. leagues including one season in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. He was a member of two college championship teams and in 1989 scored a goal in the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Fort Lauderdale Strikers (APSL)
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team established in 1988 as part of the third American Soccer League. In 1990, it moved to the American Professional Soccer League where it spent five seasons before folding in 1994...
national championship victory over the San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
.
High school and college
Edwards grew up in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. He played soccer at Miami Killian High School
Miami Killian High School
Miami Killian Senior High School is a secondary school located in Miami, Florida, USA. The school is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools System.-Academics:...
where he was an All-Dade County player. In 1982, he entered Miami-Dade Community College, playing on the men’s soccer team in 1982 and 1983. In 1983, the Miami-Dade won the National Junior College National Championship, defeating Forest Park Community College. He then transferred to Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
for the 1984 and 1985 seasons. In 1984, FIU won the NCAA Division II Championship over Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University is a Christian university of the liberal arts, sciences and professions, located on the north slope of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington, USA. It was founded in 1891 by the Oregon and Washington Conference of the Free Methodist Church as the Seattle Seminary...
.
Professional
It appears he began his professional career in 1988 when he signed with the Miami Sharks of the newly established American Soccer LeagueAmerican 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...
. That season, he was a first team All Star. The next season, he joined the Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Fort Lauderdale Strikers (APSL)
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team established in 1988 as part of the third American Soccer League. In 1990, it moved to the American Professional Soccer League where it spent five seasons before folding in 1994...
. That year, the Strikers won the ASL title, putting them in the first national championship game played since the demise 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:...
in 1984. The Strikers met the San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
of 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...
, coming from behind to win 3-1 with Edwards scoring the third Strikers goal. He played for the Strikers through the 1993 season. In addition to playing the summer outdoor season with the Strikers, Edwards played at least one indoor winter season, 1992-1993, with the Canton Invaders
Canton Invaders
The Canton Invaders was an indoor soccer club based in Canton, Ohio that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Columbus Invaders.- Canton Invaders :...
in the National Professional Soccer League.
In 1994, he played for the Carolina Vipers
Carolina Vipers
The Carolina Vipers were an indoor soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League. They played only one season in 1994...
in 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...
, then spent the 1995 season with the Myrtle Beach Boyz
Myrtle Beach Boyz
The Myrtle Beach Boyz were an American soccer team that played in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.-Year-by-year:...
in the USISL. On February 6, 1996, the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
selected Edwards in the fifth round (forty-second overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players who had already graduated from college to the league's ten inaugural teams. The draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996...
. He played only four games for the Rapids, suffering from various injuries and having groin surgery. He retired from playing professionally at the end of the season.
Coach
In 1996, Edwards became an assistant coach at Barry UniversityBarry University
Barry University is a private, Catholic university, which was founded in 1940 in Miami Shores, Florida, a suburb north of Downtown Miami. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami....
, a position he held until at least 2001. He also served as a physical education teacher and the athletic director of Holy Family Catholic School in Orlando, Florida.