Terry Fisher is an American soccer coach and executive. He served as coach of the Los Angeles Aztecs and the San Jose Earthquakes of the North American Soccer League in the 1970s. He was general manager and part-owner of several lower-division teams in the 1980s and 1990s, and has worked as a youth soccer executive since 2009.
Fisher graduated high school in 1967. That summer, Fisher toured Europe on a team of American soccer players coached by Hubert Vogelsinger, visiting nine countries over three weeks, which he says got him "hooked" on soccer.[2][3] He would travel to Europe again in 1968 as an assistant for the American International Sports Exchange, a program which sponsored young athletes on European tours. Fisher says these tours allowed him to watch many soccer matches, forming his coaching techniques and inspiring his passion for the game.[4][3]
Fisher (front right) as a freshman at Hartwick College
In 1973, he was hired to join the coaching staff of the Bruins men's soccer team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Although his title was assistant coach, he took over most coaching responsibilities from head coach Dennis Storer, who was more focused on UCLA's rugby team. He was officially made head coach in the winter of 1973, and remained head coach through the 1974 season.[6] While working at UCLA, he also took on a role as director of youth development for the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League (NASL).[4]
After two years with UCLA, Fisher was named head coach of the Los Angeles Aztecs ahead of the 1975 season. At 25 years old, he was the youngest coach in the NASL.[7] He was reportedly popular among his players, but less popular among fans, who booed his appearance at home games. Under Fisher's stewardship, the Aztecs qualified for the NASL playoffs in 1975, 1976, and 1977.[8] However, in 1978, the Aztecs started out with 5 wins and 8 losses, including 7 losses in their first 7 home games. Fisher was publicly critical of the team's owners, saying they weren't willing to spend enough on players. The Aztecs fired Fisher on June 5, 1978.[9][10]
He was then hired by the San Jose Earthquakes on June 19, after they had started 5–12 and fired their previous coach Momčilo Gavric.[11] On July 12, 1978, Fisher's Earthquakes lost 10–0 in a road game against the Detroit Express, the largest victory margin in league history, and a game that Fisher said still stood out from his tenure in a 2008 interview.[12][13] Fisher attributed the Earthquakes' woes to poor talent, and said he would place an emphasis on signing American players.[14] However, he was unable to turn the Earthquakes around, and won just 3 of his 21 games with the club. On May 19, 1979, the Earthquakes suffered their 8th consecutive loss to start the season, as the Seattle Sounders beat them 1–0. Fisher was fired that night.[15][16]
On October 2, 1979, Fisher was hired as head coach of the Detroit Lightning ahead of their inaugural 1979–80 season in the Major Indoor Soccer League.[17] Founded in a rush, the club was marked by disorganization, and only managed to obtain a general manager, a full roster, branding, and office space in the final month before the season kicked off.[18] The Lightning finished the regular season 15–17 and lost in the playoffs to the Wichita Wings.[19][20] After owner Jerry Perenchio sustained a $1.1 million loss from the first season, he dissolved the club and sold its franchise rights to the newly formed San Francisco Fog, which hired Johnny Moore as its head coach.[21]
Later career
Fisher then went on to work as an assistant coach, first for the Houston Hurricane in 1980. Due to the club's instability (which would ultimately result in their folding after the 1980 season), he left to join the Calgary Boomers as an assistant coach in late 1980.[22] The Boomers folded after the 1981 NASL outdoor season.
In January 1997, the Albuquerque Geckos were announced as a new franchise to play in the USISL D-3 Pro League, with Fisher serving as part-owner and general manager.[28][29] The team had a successful first year on the pitch, winning their conference and the league playoffs, but struggled to garner fans, bringing in an average attendance of 1,200. For the 1998 season, the team moved up to the second-division A-League. They lowered their ticket prices, and Fisher said they could meet revenue goals in 1998 if their average attendance reached 3,000.[1] However, the team finished last in their division with a 5–23 record, and failed to raise attendance. Fisher and the other owners sold the franchise to an ownership group in Sacramento in October 1998.[30]
On June 1, 2009, Fisher was named as executive director of the Washington State Youth Soccer Association.[26][27]
In June 2021, Fisher became CEO of the California State Soccer Association – South, commonly known as Cal South.[32]
Personal life
As of 1979, Fisher had a wife, Joni, and two children, Don and Rand.[33]
In 1979, Fisher wrote and published his first book, Star-Spangled Soccer: Playing and Coaching the American Way.[34] His second book, Indoor Soccer, was published in November 1980.[22]
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and setting up Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.
The Los Angeles Aztecs were an American professional soccer team based in Los Angeles, California that existed from 1974 to 1981. The Aztecs competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1981 as well as the 1975 NASL Indoor tournament, the 1979–80 and 1980–81 NASL Indoor seasons, and won the NASL Championship in 1974. During their eight years of existence, the Aztecs played at four different venues and were controlled by four different ownership groups, European soccer legends George Best and Johan Cruyff played for the team, and from 1975 to 1977 English singer Elton John was a part-owner.
The California Surf was an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1978 to 1981. The team was based in Anaheim, California and played their home games at Anaheim Convention Center and the Long Beach Arena during the indoor seasons and Anaheim Stadium for outdoor matches. Originally founded as the St. Louis Stars, the team relocated to Anaheim after the 1977 NASL season. The team disbanded after the 1981 NASL season.
The Detroit Express were a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned by Roger Faulkner, Sonny Van Arnem, Gary Lemmen and Jimmy Hill who was also the managing director and chairman of the English club Coventry City. The team was coached by Ken Furphy.
The Memphis Storm was an American soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee which existed from 1986 to 1994. They underwent several names changes including the Rogues, the Survivors, the United Express and finally the Jackals. They played in the American Indoor Soccer Association, and the Sunbelt Independent Soccer League, which later came to be known as the United States Interregional Soccer League.
Bob Rigby is an American retired soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. He played twelve seasons in the North American Soccer League, three in the Major Indoor Soccer League, one in the Western Soccer Alliance and earned six caps with the United States men's national soccer team. Rigby was the color commentator with the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.
Steve David is a Trinidadian former North American Soccer League and international football player.
The San Jose Earthquakes were a professional soccer club that played from 1974 to 1988. The team began as an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL), and was originally set to play in San Francisco; but slow season ticket sales led to a late switch to San Jose's Spartan Stadium. The switch to sports-starved San Jose was an immediate hit, and the Earthquakes led the league with attendance over 15,000 per game in 1974, double the league average. The team's success led Spartan Stadium to be chosen as site of the first NASL Soccer Bowl in 1975. From 1983 to 1984, the team was known as the Golden Bay Earthquakes. During this time, it also played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League and in the NASL's indoor circuit, winning the first ever NASL indoor tournament in 1975. Their indoor games were first played at the Cow Palace and later at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.
David D'Errico is an American soccer player who played as a defender. He spent eight years in the North American Soccer League (NASL), five in Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and one in the United Soccer League (USL). He won three MISL championships with the NY Arrows and earned 21 caps with the United States national team between 1974 and 1977, also captaining the team.
The Detroit Lightning was a Major Indoor Soccer League franchise which existed for only one season, 1979–1980. The Lightning finished that season at 15–17. The team's home arena was Cobo Arena.
Jimmy McAlister is a U.S. soccer defender during the 1970s and 1980s. He was the 1977 NASL Rookie of the Year and earned six caps with the U.S. national team.
Johnny Moore is a former Scottish-American soccer player who spent several years in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He has also served in various administrative positions, including general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. Moore also earned eleven caps with the U.S. national team. In 1997, he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Manuel "Mani" Hernandez is a Spanish-American former soccer forward. He played collegiate soccer at San Jose State University where he won the 1968 Hermann Trophy as the collegiate player of the year. He later spent three seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes of the North American Soccer League. He currently coaches high school girls soccer at Presentation High School.
Doug Wark is a former Scottish-American soccer forward who spent five seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1975.
Christopher George Dangerfield is an English former footballer who spent most of his career in the United States.
The 1978 North American Soccer League season was the 66th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 11th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada.
Mihalj Keri is a Yugoslav retired association football player who professionally played in Yugoslavia and the United States.
Chris Turner is a Canadian retired soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned four caps with the Canada national team.
Bernard Derek Fagan was an English professional footballer who played as a defender. He spent most of his career in the United States where he was later active as a coach.
Todd Saldana is an American retired soccer midfielder. He played four seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in the United Soccer League and two in the Western Soccer Alliance. He was a member of the United States U-20 men's national soccer team at the 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship and has coached at the collegiate level including three seasons as the head coach of the UCLA Bruins men's soccer team.
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