Garth Lagerwey
Encyclopedia
Garth Lagerwey is a retired American soccer goalkeeper
who played five seasons in Major League Soccer
. He is currently the vice president and general manager of Real Salt Lake
.
Lagerwey grew up in the Chicago
area where he played club soccer with the Chicago Magic. He was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2000. He attended York High School
where he was a two time all-state soccer goalkeeper. After graduating from high school in 1990, he moved to Germany and signed with SC Freiburg
. After a season with the Freiburg reserves, he returned to the United States and entered Duke University
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1991 to 1994. He graduated in 1995 with a bachelors degree in history.
In 1993, he spent the collegiate off season with the Raleigh Flyers in the USISL. He then played the 1994 season with the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers, also in the USISL. In 1995, he signed with the Hampton Roads Mariners. In February 1996, D.C. United
selected Lagerwey in the 15th round (150th overall) of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
. United then traded him to the Kansas City Wiz in exchange for Jeff Causey
. He was Kansas City’s starting goalkeeper for much of the season, playing twenty-three games. In 1997, he moved to the Dallas Burn where he played only ten games over two seasons before being waived on October 31, 1998. The Colorado Rapids
selected Lagerwey in the November 1998 waiver draft, but was waived on February 23, 1999. He then signed with the Miami Fusion
where he played mostly as a backup, but still entered 18 games. The team waived him at the end of the 2000 season and he retired.
In 2000, Lagerwey became a guest columnist with Sports Illustrated . Following his retirement from playing, Lagerwey held positions in the broadcast media. In 2001, he entered Georgetown University
, graduating with a law degree in 2004. He was then hired as an attorney with Latham & Watkins
. On September 19, 2007, Real Salt Lake
announced Lagerwey was hired as the team’s senior vice president and general manager.
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
who played five seasons 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 is currently the vice president and general manager of Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
.
Lagerwey grew up in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area where he played club soccer with the Chicago Magic. He was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2000. He attended York High School
York High School
York High School may refer to:*York High School , York, England*York High School , George, South Africa*York High School , York, Maine*York High School , York, Nebraska*York High School , Yorktown, Virginia...
where he was a two time all-state soccer goalkeeper. After graduating from high school in 1990, he moved to Germany and signed with SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg
Sport-Club Freiburg, commonly known as SC Freiburg, is a German association football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. SC Freiburg has played in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football, since their promotion in 2009...
. After a season with the Freiburg reserves, he returned to the United States and entered 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 played on the men’s soccer team from 1991 to 1994. He graduated in 1995 with a bachelors degree in history.
In 1993, he spent the collegiate off season with the Raleigh Flyers in the USISL. He then played the 1994 season with the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers, also in the USISL. In 1995, he signed with the Hampton Roads Mariners. In February 1996, D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. 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 since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
selected Lagerwey in the 15th round (150th overall) of 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...
. United then traded him to the Kansas City Wiz in exchange for Jeff Causey
Jeff Causey
Jeff Causey is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who spent six seasons in Major League Soccer. He later served as an assistant coach at the collegiate and professional levels.-College:...
. He was Kansas City’s starting goalkeeper for much of the season, playing twenty-three games. In 1997, he moved to the Dallas Burn where he played only ten games over two seasons before being waived on October 31, 1998. 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 Lagerwey in the November 1998 waiver draft, but was waived on February 23, 1999. He then signed with the Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
where he played mostly as a backup, but still entered 18 games. The team waived him at the end of the 2000 season and he retired.
In 2000, Lagerwey became a guest columnist with Sports Illustrated . Following his retirement from playing, Lagerwey held positions in the broadcast media. In 2001, he entered Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, graduating with a law degree in 2004. He was then hired as an attorney with Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins LLP is a global law firm, one of the largest in the world. Latham currently employs approximately 2,000 attorneys in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive Californian roots, but its largest office is now...
. On September 19, 2007, Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
announced Lagerwey was hired as the team’s senior vice president and general manager.