Joe Mihaljevic
Encyclopedia
Joe Mihaljevic is a retired soccer forward
. He runs a reputable year-round soccer school in Folsom, California
since September 2003 and in March 2008, established the Mihaljevic Soccer Club - Top Gun, a champion competitive youth soccer club.
, a native of Croatia
, played professionally in Europe before immigrating to the U.S. He eventually settled in St. Louis, Missouri
where he became the first head coach of the North American Soccer League
's St. Louis Stars. In 1966, George established the first soccer school in St. Louis, "Mihaljevic Soccer School", and developed many talented players. At age 8, Mihaljevic began attending his father’s school and played for its competitive team, Missouri Mules. The team won 2 back to back state championships and 2 international youth tournaments in Holland & Canada. The team went undefeated in all games.
and OFK Beograd
due to the country's impeding civil war. Upon returning to the United States, Mihaljevic was offered a full NCAA, Division I scholarship at Hartwick College
in Oneonta, New York
in 1978. In addition to playing collegiate soccer, Mihaljevic played on amateur clubs. In 1981, he was on the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Club when it won the U.S. Amateur Cup. Mihaljevic scored the winning goal.
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL) drafted Mihaljevic as its 2nd-round draft pick. In 1988, Mihaljevic joined the Fort Wayne Flames
of the American Indoor Soccer Association (AISA) for the Challenge Cup Playoffs.
In 1986, the San Jose Earthquakes of the Western Soccer Alliance (WSA) signed Mihaljevic. The next year, he was the Alliance’s "Leading Goal Scorer" and became the "United State's Leading Goal Scorer" in 1987 with seven goals and two assists. He moved east to the Miami Sharks
for the 1988 American Soccer League
(ASL) season, under the coaching of 1970's World Cup Captain, Carlos Alberto Torres
, of Brazil
where he established himself as a force on the team by scoring 5 goals in the last 25 minutes of his debut game, defeating the Washington Diplomats
, 5-1, a record for "Most Goals Scored in a Game".
In 1990, he joined the San Jose Oaks Soccer Club and remained with the team through the 1992 season when the team took the U.S. Open Cup
. Mihaljevic was voted 1992 U.S. Open Cup "Most Valuable Player" with a goal and 2 assists in the final game (3-1).
in September 2003, also named "Mihaljevic Soccer School".
In Spring 2007, Mihaljevic successfully head-coached his first ever soccer team with the Folsom High School Freshmen Lady Bulldogs, going undefeated. The FHS Freshmen would win the Alliance League Championship with an incredible 16-0-2 record. The following Fall, Mihaljevic coached the Rio Americano High School Junior Varsity Boys Raiders in Sacramento, taking them to a 2nd-runner-up place finish.
March 2008, the Mihaljevics' expanded, creating Mihaljevic Soccer Club (MSC) Top Gun, a competitive youth soccer club that competes in the Region 6, NorCal Premier Soccer League with U.S. Club Soccer.
In August 2008, the MSC Top Gun-Alpha team (U9 Boys) made their first official tournament & game appearance in the Joe Ribaudo-Shootout in Sacramento. The Top Gun-Alpha team went undefeated in the preliminary rounds to play in the Championship game against the tournament's host team. With only one substitute player, Top Gun-Alpha lost to the host team, 3-1, but ended the host team's 19-straight games shut-out streak.
On November 23, 2008 - 8 months into MSC Top Gun's inaugural year, Mihaljevic and both of his U9 Boys' competitive teams won double U.S. Club Soccer sanctioned State Cup Championship titles. An outstanding feat by a first year youth soccer club. Top Gun-Alpha went undefeated in the tournament held in Manteca, California. Top Gun-Bravo, the club's 2nd team, won the State Cup in their division by points. This State Cup Tournament event was both teams only 2nd tournament appearance since the start of the club in March 2008.
On February 8, 2009, MSC Top Gun's U11 Girls, Air Strike, lost, 1-0, in a super tough and well-fought Semi-Final match for their bid for the U.S. Club & NorCal Premier Soccer League State Cup Tournament in Manteca, California. The girls went into the tournament undefeated in the preliminary rounds. This was MSC Top Gun-Air Strike's 2nd tournament appearance since the start of the club in March 2008. Mihaljevic's daughter, Dominique, was the team's leading goal-scorer with 14 goals for the season.
In November 2009, MSC Top Gun's U10 Boys Alpha team, again, made it to the Finals of the Silver Division of the U.S. Club / NorCal Premier Soccer State Cup Tournament in Manteca, California. After an excellently played match versus the Diablo Hurricanes, the game went into 2 "Golden Goal" over-time halves with both teams scoring 1 goal in regular time. MSC Top Gun-Alpha would lose in PKs, 3-1.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He runs a reputable year-round soccer school in Folsom, California
Folsom, California
Folsom is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. Folsom is most commonly known for its famous Folsom Prison. The population was 72,203 at the 2010 census....
since September 2003 and in March 2008, established the Mihaljevic Soccer Club - Top Gun, a champion competitive youth soccer club.
Youth
His father, Djuro George MihaljevicGeorge Mihaljević
Đuro "George" Mihaljević is a former Croatian soccer player and coach.-Career:Mihaljević began his career with the youth team of Radnički in 1948. Between the ages of 18 and 22 he played professionally in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, before moving to the United States, where he joined the Army...
, a native of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, played professionally in Europe before immigrating to the U.S. He eventually settled in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
where he became the first head coach 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:...
's St. Louis Stars. In 1966, George established the first soccer school in St. Louis, "Mihaljevic Soccer School", and developed many talented players. At age 8, Mihaljevic began attending his father’s school and played for its competitive team, Missouri Mules. The team won 2 back to back state championships and 2 international youth tournaments in Holland & Canada. The team went undefeated in all games.
College
After graduating from high school in 1978, Mihaljevic was sent to live with relatives in the former Yugoslavia to train & play soccer. He relunctantly turned down a 4 year contract with 1st Division Teams, Red Star BelgradeRed Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
and OFK Beograd
OFK Beograd
Omladinski fudbalski klub Beograd, commonly referred to as OFK Beograd , is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia, more precisely from the Karaburma urban neighborhood. It currently is the oldest team playing in the Serbian SuperLiga. The name means "Youth Football Club Belgrade" in Serbian...
due to the country's impeding civil war. Upon returning to the United States, Mihaljevic was offered a full NCAA, Division I scholarship at Hartwick College
Hartwick College
Hartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
in Oneonta, New York
Oneonta, New York
Oneonta is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language...
in 1978. In addition to playing collegiate soccer, Mihaljevic played on amateur clubs. In 1981, he was on the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Club when it won the U.S. Amateur Cup. Mihaljevic scored the winning goal.
Professional career
In 1982, the Pittsburgh SpiritPittsburgh Spirit
Pittsburgh Spirit were an indoor soccer team based out of Pittsburgh and were one of the original six teams that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
of 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) drafted Mihaljevic as its 2nd-round draft pick. In 1988, Mihaljevic joined the Fort Wayne Flames
Fort Wayne Flames
The Fort Wayne Flames were an indoor soccer club based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association, playing home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum from 1986-1989....
of the American Indoor Soccer Association (AISA) for the Challenge Cup Playoffs.
In 1986, the San Jose Earthquakes of the Western Soccer Alliance (WSA) signed Mihaljevic. The next year, he was the Alliance’s "Leading Goal Scorer" and became the "United State's Leading Goal Scorer" in 1987 with seven goals and two assists. He moved east to the Miami Sharks
Miami Freedom
The Miami Sharks were an inaugural franchise of the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1988. The team were renamed the Miami Freedom and joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League...
for the 1988 American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
(ASL) season, under the coaching of 1970's World Cup Captain, Carlos Alberto Torres
Carlos Alberto Torres
Carlos Alberto Torres is a former Brazilian footballer, one of the most highly regarded defenders of all time. He captained Brazil to victory in the 1970 World Cup and is a member of the World Team of the 20th Century, as well as the U.S...
, of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where he established himself as a force on the team by scoring 5 goals in the last 25 minutes of his debut game, defeating the Washington Diplomats
Washington Diplomats
The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
, 5-1, a record for "Most Goals Scored in a Game".
In 1990, he joined the San Jose Oaks Soccer Club and remained with the team through the 1992 season when the team took the U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
. Mihaljevic was voted 1992 U.S. Open Cup "Most Valuable Player" with a goal and 2 assists in the final game (3-1).
Coaching
After retiring from playing professionally, Mihaljevic, along with his wife, re-opened his father's soccer school in Folsom, CaliforniaFolsom, California
Folsom is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. Folsom is most commonly known for its famous Folsom Prison. The population was 72,203 at the 2010 census....
in September 2003, also named "Mihaljevic Soccer School".
In Spring 2007, Mihaljevic successfully head-coached his first ever soccer team with the Folsom High School Freshmen Lady Bulldogs, going undefeated. The FHS Freshmen would win the Alliance League Championship with an incredible 16-0-2 record. The following Fall, Mihaljevic coached the Rio Americano High School Junior Varsity Boys Raiders in Sacramento, taking them to a 2nd-runner-up place finish.
March 2008, the Mihaljevics' expanded, creating Mihaljevic Soccer Club (MSC) Top Gun, a competitive youth soccer club that competes in the Region 6, NorCal Premier Soccer League with U.S. Club Soccer.
In August 2008, the MSC Top Gun-Alpha team (U9 Boys) made their first official tournament & game appearance in the Joe Ribaudo-Shootout in Sacramento. The Top Gun-Alpha team went undefeated in the preliminary rounds to play in the Championship game against the tournament's host team. With only one substitute player, Top Gun-Alpha lost to the host team, 3-1, but ended the host team's 19-straight games shut-out streak.
On November 23, 2008 - 8 months into MSC Top Gun's inaugural year, Mihaljevic and both of his U9 Boys' competitive teams won double U.S. Club Soccer sanctioned State Cup Championship titles. An outstanding feat by a first year youth soccer club. Top Gun-Alpha went undefeated in the tournament held in Manteca, California. Top Gun-Bravo, the club's 2nd team, won the State Cup in their division by points. This State Cup Tournament event was both teams only 2nd tournament appearance since the start of the club in March 2008.
On February 8, 2009, MSC Top Gun's U11 Girls, Air Strike, lost, 1-0, in a super tough and well-fought Semi-Final match for their bid for the U.S. Club & NorCal Premier Soccer League State Cup Tournament in Manteca, California. The girls went into the tournament undefeated in the preliminary rounds. This was MSC Top Gun-Air Strike's 2nd tournament appearance since the start of the club in March 2008. Mihaljevic's daughter, Dominique, was the team's leading goal-scorer with 14 goals for the season.
In November 2009, MSC Top Gun's U10 Boys Alpha team, again, made it to the Finals of the Silver Division of the U.S. Club / NorCal Premier Soccer State Cup Tournament in Manteca, California. After an excellently played match versus the Diablo Hurricanes, the game went into 2 "Golden Goal" over-time halves with both teams scoring 1 goal in regular time. MSC Top Gun-Alpha would lose in PKs, 3-1.