Cle Kooiman

Christopher Clemence "Cle" Kooiman (born July 3, 1963) is an American former soccer defender. He played professionally in both Mexico and the United States including the first Major Indoor Soccer League, Western Soccer Alliance, American Professional Soccer League and Major League Soccer.[2] He earned twelve caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national soccer team in 1993 and 1994.[3] He was a member of the U.S. team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Cle Kooiman
Personal information
Full name Christopher Clemence Kooiman
Date of birth (1963-07-03) July 3, 1963
Place of birth Ontario, California, United States[1]
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Defender
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1982 San Diego State Aztecs
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1987 Los Angeles Lazers (indoor) 157 (10)
1989 California Kickers
1990 San Diego Nomads
1990–1991 Cobras de Ciudad Juárez 28 (1)
1992–1994 Cruz Azul 51 (2)
1994–1996 Atlético Morelia
1996–1997 Tampa Bay Mutiny 54 (3)
1998 Miami Fusion 14 (0)
International career
1993–1994 United States 12 (1)
Managerial career
United States U20 (assistant)
Medal record
Representing  United States
Runner-upCONCACAF Gold Cup1993
Men's Soccer
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

College

Cle Kooiman was born in Ontario, California, and attended San Diego State University. In 1982, he was named to the All Far West team.

MISL

In 1982, Kooiman began his professional career playing for the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He would remain with the Lazers until 1987.

WSL/APSL

In 1989, he began his outdoor professional career with the California Kickers of the Western Soccer League (WSL). That year, he was named as a league First Team All Star. He moved to the San Diego Nomads for the 1990 season. However, by that time, the WSL had merged with the American Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League.

Mexico

At the end of the 1990, Kooiman moved to Mexico.[4] He began with Cobras de Ciudad Juarez, of the Mexican Premier Division before moving to Cruz Azul in Mexican Premier League. While with Cruz Azul, he became the first U.S. citizen to captain a Mexican soccer team. In 1994, he moved to Atlético Morelia.[5]

MLS

In 1996, the newly established Major League Soccer (MLS) distributed "marque" players throughout the league's teams. Kooiman was allocated to the Tampa Bay Mutiny.[6] He would play two seasons with the Mutiny, but at the end of the 1997 season, the Mutiny left him exposed in the 1997 MLS Expansion Draft. The Miami Fusion selected Kooiman in the first round (14th overall) and he would play a single season for that team.[7][8][9][10][11]

International

Kooiman earned his first cap with the national team in 1993. He would eventually play 12 games with the national team, scoring a single goal and participating in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where he played the full 90 minutes in the U.S.'s opening game against Switzerland.[12]

Personal life

Kooiman was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in February 2018.[13]

Honors

individual

References
  1. Lisa Dillman (June 2, 1994). "World Cup Player Profile". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  2. Tim Froh (May 11, 2016). "Cle Kooiman, the indoor soccer star who became an unlikely hero in Mexico | Football". The Guardian. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  3. "SOCCER / GOLD CUP : Kooiman's Overtime Goal Puts U.S. in Finals". Articles.latimes.com. June 27, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  4. "WORLD CUP '94: 15 Days and Counting : Cle Is Key for U.S. : Defender Kooiman Plays Like Wild Man". Articles.latimes.com. June 2, 1994. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  5. Cle Kooiman – Liga MX stats at MedioTiempo.com (archive) (in Spanish)
  6. Straus, Brian. "MLS at 20: Epic original branding, logos for the league's first 10 teams | ASN: All Sports Networks". Asn.tv. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  7. "Kooiman, Paulinho Among 7 Waived". Articles.sun-sentinel.com. November 1, 1998. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  8. "Fusion's Kooimann Not Afraid To Mix It Up". Articles.sun-sentinel.com. February 9, 1998. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  9. "Fusion Player Profiles". Articles.sun-sentinel.com. March 15, 1998. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  10. "Scarred Kooiman In Camp". Articles.sun-sentinel.com. January 15, 1998. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  11. "World Cup Countdown: Where Would The USA Be Without. . . Mexico?". Goal.com. June 26, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  12. "Where are they Now: MNT Defender Cle Kooiman". U.S. Soccer. February 11, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  13. "CLE KOOIMAN — A FIGHT STORY • SoccerToday". March 25, 2018.
  14. All-Star Game flashback, 1996 Archived December 28, 2014, at the Wayback Machine at MLSsoccer.com
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