Jimmy McAlister (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Jimmy McAlister is a retired U.S. soccer defender
. He was the 1977 NASL Rookie of the Year and earned six caps with the U.S. national team.
. When he graduated in 1976, the Seattle Sounders
of the North American Soccer League
immediately signed him to play left back. McAlister saw time in only two first team games in 1976, spending most of his time in the reserve team. In 1977, he became an integral part of a strong Sounders team which went to the NASL championship
only to lose to the Pelé
-led New York Cosmos
. McAlister’s defensive abilities led to Pelé trading his jersey with McAlister at the end of the game. His outstanding season led to McAlister receiving NASL Rookie of the Year. McAlister spent one more season with Seattle before being traded to Toronto Blizzard
. Before moving to Toronto, he spent the 1979-1980 Major Indoor Soccer League
season with the Buffalo Stallions
. After one year in Toronto, he moved again, this time to the San Jose Earthquakes. While in San Jose, he played in both the NASL and the Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL) as the Earthquakes jumped between the two leagues. When the Tacoma Stars was established as an MISL franchise in 1983, McAlister moved back home. He remained with the Stars through the 1985-1986 season.
between 1977 and 1979. His success with the Sounders brought McAlister to the attention of the national team. He earned his first cap in a September 18, 1977 loss to Guatemala
. He then played only sporadically over the next two years with his last cap coming in a February 11, 1979 loss to the Soviet Union.
. McAlister took the Stars to the playoffs where they fell in the first round to the San Diego Sockers. New ownership took over the team during the 1988 off season and brought Hinton back in as coach. In 2000, McAlister became the head coach of the Decatur High School boys soccer team. The next season, he coached them to an undefeated season and the Washington State 4A championship. McAlister was head coach of professional club Hibernian Saints in 2006. He also served on the coaching staff of Washington Premier Football Club in Tacoma, Washington where alongside Gary Heale
, he took the club's United States Soccer Development Academy team to the USSF national finals, taking 5th place. In January 2010, he returned to the city where he made his mark as a professional player, becoming the Director of Coaching of the Seattle United youth soccer club, as part of a coaching leadership team that also includes Technical Director and ex-Seattle Sounder Jason Farrell
.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He was the 1977 NASL Rookie of the Year and earned six caps with the U.S. national team.
Professional
McAlister grew up in Seattle where he attended John F. Kennedy High School in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. When he graduated in 1976, the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (NASL)
The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...
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:...
immediately signed him to play left back. McAlister saw time in only two first team games in 1976, spending most of his time in the reserve team. In 1977, he became an integral part of a strong Sounders team which went to the NASL championship
Soccer Bowl
The Soccer Bowl was the championship game of the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1983. The event was created by NASL Commissioner Phil Woosnam who was trying to build a neutral-site championship event in the mold of the NFL's Super Bowl....
only to lose to the Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
-led New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
. McAlister’s defensive abilities led to Pelé trading his jersey with McAlister at the end of the game. His outstanding season led to McAlister receiving NASL Rookie of the Year. McAlister spent one more season with Seattle before being traded to Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard (NASL)
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
. Before moving to Toronto, he spent the 1979-1980 Major Indoor Soccer League
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...
season with the Buffalo Stallions
Buffalo Stallions
The Buffalo Stallions were a soccer team based out of Buffalo, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 to 1984. Their home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.-History:...
. After one year in Toronto, he moved again, this time to the San Jose Earthquakes. While in San Jose, he played in both the NASL and the Major Indoor Soccer League
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...
(MISL) as the Earthquakes jumped between the two leagues. When the Tacoma Stars was established as an MISL franchise in 1983, McAlister moved back home. He remained with the Stars through the 1985-1986 season.
National team
McAlister earned six caps with the U.S. national teamUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
between 1977 and 1979. His success with the Sounders brought McAlister to the attention of the national team. He earned his first cap in a September 18, 1977 loss to Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
. He then played only sporadically over the next two years with his last cap coming in a February 11, 1979 loss to the Soviet Union.
Coach
McAlister retired from the Tacoma Stars in 1986. He then became the team's Special Events Manager. On February 23, 1988, McAlister was named head coach after the Stars fired Alan HintonAlan Hinton
Alan Thomas Hinton is an English former footballer who most notably played for Derby County and Nottingham Forest in the 1960s...
. McAlister took the Stars to the playoffs where they fell in the first round to the San Diego Sockers. New ownership took over the team during the 1988 off season and brought Hinton back in as coach. In 2000, McAlister became the head coach of the Decatur High School boys soccer team. The next season, he coached them to an undefeated season and the Washington State 4A championship. McAlister was head coach of professional club Hibernian Saints in 2006. He also served on the coaching staff of Washington Premier Football Club in Tacoma, Washington where alongside Gary Heale
Gary Heale
Gary John Heale is a former professional football player in both USA and England....
, he took the club's United States Soccer Development Academy team to the USSF national finals, taking 5th place. In January 2010, he returned to the city where he made his mark as a professional player, becoming the Director of Coaching of the Seattle United youth soccer club, as part of a coaching leadership team that also includes Technical Director and ex-Seattle Sounder Jason Farrell
Jason Farrell
Jason Farrell is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who spent four seasons in Major League Soccer, two in the American Professional Soccer League, one in the A-League, three in the National Professional Soccer League and four in the USL First Division...
.