Mark Santel
Encyclopedia
Mark Santel is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder
who is currently an assistant coach for the Saint Louis Billikiens
. Santel played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League
, American Professional Soccer League
and Major Soccer League
. He also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team
between 1988 and 1997.
where he played on the boy’s soccer team, earning team MVP honors in 1988.http://www.cbchs.org/CBCHSPublic/Athletics/Fall/history/Soccer_History_mvp.aspx?v=r5_c1_fallsoccer After graduating from high school, Santel attended Saint Louis University
where he played on the men’s soccer team. He was a 1989 Second Team and a 1988 and 1990 First Team All American
.
of Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL) drafted Santel. However, he actually played the 1991-1992 season with the St. Louis Storm
(MISL). In 1992 he began playing for the Colorado Foxes
of the American Professional Soccer League
(APSL) and would remain with the team through the 1995 season. He was a member of both the 1992 and 1993 APSL champsionship teams. As Major League Soccer
(MLS) prepared for its first season, it signed dozens of players to league contracts. In order to ensure an initial equitable distribution of talent, the league allocated high profile players to each team. As part of this process, MLS allocated
Santel to the Dallas Burn. In both 1996 and 1997, Santel was elected to the MLS All Star team. On December 4, 2000, the Burn traded Santel to the Kansas City Wizards
for a third round draft pick. He spent one season with the Wizards, playing twenty-one games before retiring at the end of the season.
. Santel went on to earn eight caps, scoring one goal, with the senior U.S. national team
between 1988 and 1997. His first game with the full national team came in a January 10, 1988 loss to Guatemala
. He did not appear again with the national team until February 1, 1991. Then he played sporadically until his last game in 1997. His national team goal came in a November 14, 1993 shellacking of the Caymen Islands
. Final score was 8-1.
In December 2004, he was hired as the sales and marketing representative for Velocity Sports Performance
, a sports training facility in Chesterfield, Missouri.
He is also the co-author of the children’s book Soccer Dreamin’.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who is currently an assistant coach for the Saint Louis Billikiens
Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer
The Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of Saint Louis University. The Billikens compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I...
. Santel played professionally in 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...
, American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
and Major 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...
. He also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team
United 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 1988 and 1997.
Youth
Santel was born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri. He played soccer from youth as a member of the renowned local club Scott Gallagher. He also attended Christian Brothers College High SchoolChristian Brothers College High School
Christian Brothers College High School , is a Lasallian Catholic college preparatory school for young men in St. Louis, Missouri. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis and is owned and operated by the De La Salle Christian Brothers Midwest District.-Early years :The school...
where he played on the boy’s soccer team, earning team MVP honors in 1988.http://www.cbchs.org/CBCHSPublic/Athletics/Fall/history/Soccer_History_mvp.aspx?v=r5_c1_fallsoccer After graduating from high school, Santel attended Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...
where he played on the men’s soccer team. He was a 1989 Second Team and a 1988 and 1990 First Team All American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
.
Professional
In 1991, the Wichita WingsWichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
of 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 Santel. However, he actually played the 1991-1992 season with the St. Louis Storm
St. Louis Storm
The St. Louis Storm were a soccer team based out of St. Louis that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played from 1989 to 1992. Their home arena was St...
(MISL). In 1992 he began playing for the Colorado Foxes
Colorado Foxes
The Colorado Foxes were a professional soccer team, based in Commerce City, Colorado, that played in the APSL between 1990 and 1997. The Foxes won two APSL titles, in 1992 and 1993. When Major League Soccer started and the Colorado Rapids became the region's premier team, the Foxes tried to stay...
of the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
(APSL) and would remain with the team through the 1995 season. He was a member of both the 1992 and 1993 APSL champsionship teams. As 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...
(MLS) prepared for its first season, it signed dozens of players to league contracts. In order to ensure an initial equitable distribution of talent, the league allocated high profile players to each team. As part of this process, MLS allocated
1996 MLS Inaugural Allocations
The Major League Soccer Inaugural Allocations were signed by the league in 1996 and distributed to the ten initial teams prior to the beginning of the first MLS season...
Santel to the Dallas Burn. In both 1996 and 1997, Santel was elected to the MLS All Star team. On December 4, 2000, the Burn traded Santel to the Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
for a third round draft pick. He spent one season with the Wizards, playing twenty-one games before retiring at the end of the season.
National team
In 1987, Santel was a member of the United States men's national under-20 soccer team at the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship1987 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Chile from October 10 to October 25, 1987. The 1987 championship was the 6th contested and won for the first time by Yugoslavia. Remarkably, in the course of the tournament the Yugoslavs defeated each of the three other semi-finalists, and...
. Santel went on to earn eight caps, scoring one goal, with the senior U.S. national team
United 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 1988 and 1997. His first game with the full national team came in a January 10, 1988 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 did not appear again with the national team until February 1, 1991. Then he played sporadically until his last game in 1997. His national team goal came in a November 14, 1993 shellacking of the Caymen Islands
Cayman Islands national football team
The Cayman Islands national football team is the national team of the Cayman Islands and is controlled by the Cayman Islands Football Association. It is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF. Cayman Islands' home ground is Truman Bodden Stadium in George Town and their head coach is Mark Campbell...
. Final score was 8-1.
Post-playing career
In 2002, the Lou Fusz Soccer Club of St. Louis hired Santel as its girl’s program director.http://www.loufuszsoccerclub.com/history.php He is the head coach of the boys soccer team and the girls soccer team at Barat Academy.In December 2004, he was hired as the sales and marketing representative for Velocity Sports Performance
Velocity Sports Performance
Velocity Sports Performance is a performance training franchise that specializes in training athletes in every sport, at all ages and skill levels, providing the opportunity to improve speed, agility, mobility and flexibility, and energy systems, while reducing the risk of sports-related injuries...
, a sports training facility in Chesterfield, Missouri.
He is also the co-author of the children’s book Soccer Dreamin’.