Jan Goossens
Encyclopedia
Jan Goossens is a former star American indoor soccer
player. He was the original MISL
's sixth all-time leading scorer with 682 points during his 7 years in the league.
Goossens began playing club football for N.E.C. Nijmegen in the Dutch Eredivisie
.
In 1980, Goosens moved to Canada and signed with the Edmonton Drillers
of the North American Soccer League
. He played three seaons with the Drillers before moving to the Golden Bay Earthquakes in time for the 1982-1983 indoor season. That year, the Earthqaukes, normally an NASL team, spent the indoor season playing in the Major Indoor Soccer League. The Earthquakes returned to the NASL for the 1983 summer season and Goosens remained with the team into the 1984 season. He was hindered by a knee injury in 1984 and was sent to the Minnesota Strikers
late in the season. When the NASL collapsed at the end of the season, the Strikers moved to the MISL. He finished NASL's 31st leading scoring with 48 goals in 148 games played over 6 seasons. He was the league's tenth leading scorer in 1984-85. In 1986, the Strikers sent Goosens to the Kansas City Comets
where he would play until that team folded in 1991. He then played one season with the Dallas Sidekicks
. In July 1992 with the league on verge of collapsing, Goosens announced his retirement.
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
player. He was the original MISL
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
's sixth all-time leading scorer with 682 points during his 7 years in the league.
Goossens began playing club football for N.E.C. Nijmegen in the Dutch Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
.
In 1980, Goosens moved to Canada and signed with the Edmonton Drillers
Edmonton Drillers
The Edmonton Drillers were a North American Soccer League team that played both outdoors and indoors from 1979 to 1982, at the peak of the league's success. The team was brought to Edmonton by local entrepreneur and Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, after witnessing the strong support for...
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:...
. He played three seaons with the Drillers before moving to the Golden Bay Earthquakes in time for the 1982-1983 indoor season. That year, the Earthqaukes, normally an NASL team, spent the indoor season playing in the Major Indoor Soccer League. The Earthquakes returned to the NASL for the 1983 summer season and Goosens remained with the team into the 1984 season. He was hindered by a knee injury in 1984 and was sent to the Minnesota Strikers
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers was an American professional soccer team located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The team played one season in the North American Soccer League and 4 seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
late in the season. When the NASL collapsed at the end of the season, the Strikers moved to the MISL. He finished NASL's 31st leading scoring with 48 goals in 148 games played over 6 seasons. He was the league's tenth leading scorer in 1984-85. In 1986, the Strikers sent Goosens to the Kansas City Comets
Kansas City Comets
The Kansas City Comets were a professional indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979–1991, when they folded...
where he would play until that team folded in 1991. He then played one season with the Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
. In July 1992 with the league on verge of collapsing, Goosens announced his retirement.