my-server
← Wiki Redirected from San Diego Sockers (NASL)

San Diego Sockers (1978–1996)

The San Diego Sockers were a professional soccer and indoor soccer team based in San Diego, California. The team played in the indoor and outdoor editions of the North American Soccer League (NASL) until 1984 as well as the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). The franchise folded in 1996 and was the last surviving NASL franchise.

The Sockers are considered the most successful indoor soccer team. They made the playoffs in all but one of their 16 seasons of playing indoors.

History

The team began as the "Baltimore Comets" in 1974 but moved to San Diego as the "San Diego Jaws" in 1976. After a one-year stay in Las Vegas as the "Las Vegas Quicksilvers", the team returned as the San Diego Sockers in 1978. They were owned by Bob Bell and played their indoor games at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Initially, victories came slowly for the club but mounted quickly and they experienced moderate success over their outdoor history winning several division titles. However, the San Diego Sockers won the North American Soccer League (NASL) Indoor Championships of 1981–82 and 1983–84. Success was far from over for the San Diego Sockers. When the NASL folded, the San Diego Sockers moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League and won eight championships: 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992. The Sockers carried their success from one league to the next. They switched to the Continental Indoor Soccer League for three more years from 1993 to 1995. However, after several ownership changes, Sockers folded after the 1996 season.

There have been two subsequent revivals of the Sockers. The first was a franchise in the WISL that later joined the second MISL before folding in 2004. A second started play in the PASL-PRO in 2009.

Leagues

  • NASL 1974–1984
  • NASL indoor 1980–1982, 1983–1984
  • MISL/MSL 1982–1983, 1984–1992
  • CISL 1993–1996

Owners

  • Co-Owners included Charles T. Koval, Joe Sadowski, Ed Lewis, Bob Bell (1977–78)
  • Co-Owners Charles T. Koval, Bob Bell (1978–81)
  • Bob Bell (1981–87)
  • Ron Fowler (1987–91)
  • Oscar Ancira, Sr. (1991–94)
  • San Diego Sports Arena Management (1994–96)

Head coaches

Year-by-year

Outdoor

Indoor

Honors

Championships (10)

  • NASL indoor: 1981–82, 1983–84
  • MISL: 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92
  • CISL: 1993 (runners-up)

Regular Season/ Division Titles (12)

  • NASL: 1978, 1981, 1984
  • NASL indoor: 1981–82, 1983–84
  • MISL: 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1991–92
  • CISL: 1996

Conference Titles

NASL Coach of the Year

NASL North American Player of the Year

NASL All Stars

NASL indoor MVP

NASL indoor Scoring Champion

NASL indoor Goalkeeper of the Year

NASL indoor Championship Finals MVP

NASL indoor All Stars

Hall of Fame members

MISL MVP

MISL Championship MVP

MISL Scoring Champion

MISL Pass Master (Assists leader)

MISL Defender of the Year

MISL Goalkeeper of the Year

MISL Coach of the Year

MISL Rookie of the Year

MISL First Team All Star

CISL Goalkeeper of the Year

  • 1994 Antonio Cortes

CISL Rookie of the Year

CISL First Team All Star

Sources

References