Mike Sorber
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Steven Sorber (born May 14, 1971 in Florissant
, Missouri
) is a retired American
soccer player and a current assistant coach for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer
. He played professionally in the United States and Mexico
, and was a member of the U.S. national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup
.
area, where his father Pete Sorber was the head coach of the St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley
soccer team for 30 years. During those years, he led the college to 10 National Junior College Athletic Association national championships.
Under his father’s tutelage, Mike developed into a polished youth player. He played boy’s soccer at St. Thomas Aquinas-Mercy High School
where he was part of two Missouri state championship teams in 1985 and 1988. His senior year, he was honored as part of the All-Great Midwest Conference team and was the North MVP at the St. Louis North-South High School Senior All Star Game.http://mac-stl.org/allstarsmain.php
After graduating from high school in 1989, Sorber played NCAA soccer with the Saint Louis University
men’s soccer team. He was part of the Billikins’ 1991 Final Four appearance in the NCAA tournament and was a 1992 Hermann Trophy
finalist. He ended his career at St. Louis with 13 goals and 29 assists. While he finished his college playing career in 1992, Sorber continued to work on his college education and graduated in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree
in communications with a minor in criminal justice.
soccer with UNAM Pumas. He played two seasons with Pumas and became the first American player ever to be named a Mexican League All Star.
(MLS). MLS allocated
Sorber to Kansas City Wiz. However, he played only a single season with the Wiz before being traded to MetroStars
for Damian Silvera
on February 1, 1997.
Sorber played three years with MetroStars but the team made the playoffs only in 1998. MetroStars waived Sorber on February 21, 2000. He was claimed by New England Revolution
but then traded to Chicago Fire during the 2000 preseason for a fourth round pick in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft
. Sorber played only one year with Chicago, helping the club win the Central Division title and reach the 2000 MLS Cup
final. In five years in the league, he scored nine goals and added 17 assists, plus a goal and five assists in the playoffs.
with the national team
in a January 25, 1992 loss to the Commonwealth of Independent States
team. He would go on to earn a total of 67 caps, scoring 2 goals with the national team.
Sorber played in the 1994 FIFA World Cup
held in his home country. Following the tournament, national team coach Bora Milutinovic stated “When you analyze the World Cup, Sorber was probably our MVP. It is difficult for me to explain what I feel about him. He is disciplined and intelligent." He earned his final cap in a 1998 friendly against Paraguay
. Although named as an alternate for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
team, he was not chosen for the final roster.
Sorber was an assistant coach for the U.S. men's national team. He was named to the position by head coach Bob Bradley
in May 2007.
On October 5, 2011, MLS expansion side Montreal Impact announced that Sorber had joined the club as an assistant coach.
Florissant, Missouri
Florissant is a second-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in northern St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The city has a total population of 52,158 in 2010 census.-History:...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player and a current assistant coach for Montreal Impact 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 played professionally in the United States and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and was a member of the U.S. national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
.
Youth and college
Sorber was born and raised in the St. LouisSt. 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...
area, where his father Pete Sorber was the head coach of the St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley
St. Louis Community College
St. Louis Community College is the Missouri two-year college supported by the Junior College District of St. Louis City – St. Louis County. The three original campuses were built simultaneously in 1964: Florissant Valley , Forest Park , and Meramec . A fourth campus, Wildwood opened in August 2007...
soccer team for 30 years. During those years, he led the college to 10 National Junior College Athletic Association national championships.
Under his father’s tutelage, Mike developed into a polished youth player. He played boy’s soccer at St. Thomas Aquinas-Mercy High School
St. Mary's Parish, Bridgeton, Missouri
St. Mary's Parish in Bridgeton, Missouri was a Catholic parish located in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The parish was founded in 1851 and closed in 2001. It was founded by Jesuit priests from St. Ferdinand Parish in Florissant, Missouri. The parish's grade school, St. Mary's School, existed from...
where he was part of two Missouri state championship teams in 1985 and 1988. His senior year, he was honored as part of the All-Great Midwest Conference team and was the North MVP at the St. Louis North-South High School Senior All Star Game.http://mac-stl.org/allstarsmain.php
After graduating from high school in 1989, Sorber played NCAA soccer with the 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...
men’s soccer team. He was part of the Billikins’ 1991 Final Four appearance in the NCAA tournament and was a 1992 Hermann Trophy
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
finalist. He ended his career at St. Louis with 13 goals and 29 assists. While he finished his college playing career in 1992, Sorber continued to work on his college education and graduated in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in communications with a minor in criminal justice.
Mexico
After spending two years contracted to the U.S. national team leading up to the 1994 World Cup, Sorber moved to Mexico to play first divisionPrimera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
soccer with UNAM Pumas. He played two seasons with Pumas and became the first American player ever to be named a Mexican League All Star.
MLS
In 1996, Sorber signed a contract with the newly established Major League SoccerMajor 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). 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...
Sorber to Kansas City Wiz. However, he played only a single season with the Wiz before being traded to MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
for Damian Silvera
Damian Silvera
Damian Troy Silvera is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who was a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic soccer team. He also spent a season and a half in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
on February 1, 1997.
Sorber played three years with MetroStars but the team made the playoffs only in 1998. MetroStars waived Sorber on February 21, 2000. He was claimed by New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
but then traded to Chicago Fire during the 2000 preseason for a fourth round pick in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft
2001 MLS SuperDraft
-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:-External links:*...
. Sorber played only one year with Chicago, helping the club win the Central Division title and reach the 2000 MLS Cup
MLS Cup 2000
The 2000 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2000 Major League Soccer season. The game was played on October 15, 2000, at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. between the Kansas City Wizards and the Chicago Fire. Kansas City took advantage of an early breakdown by Chicago to net the game's only goal...
final. In five years in the league, he scored nine goals and added 17 assists, plus a goal and five assists in the playoffs.
International career
Sorber earned his first capCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
with the 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...
in a January 25, 1992 loss to the Commonwealth of Independent States
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
team. He would go on to earn a total of 67 caps, scoring 2 goals with the national team.
Sorber played in the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
held in his home country. Following the tournament, national team coach Bora Milutinovic stated “When you analyze the World Cup, Sorber was probably our MVP. It is difficult for me to explain what I feel about him. He is disciplined and intelligent." He earned his final cap in a 1998 friendly against Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
. Although named as an alternate for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
team, he was not chosen for the final roster.
Coaching
Sorber retired in February 2001 and returned to his alma mater, Saint Louis University, where he joined the Billikens as their assistant coach.Sorber was an assistant coach for the U.S. men's national team. He was named to the position by head coach Bob Bradley
Bob Bradley
Robert "Bob" Bradley is an American soccer coach and the current manager of the Egypt national football team, taking over in September 2011. He previously managed the United States men's national soccer team...
in May 2007.
On October 5, 2011, MLS expansion side Montreal Impact announced that Sorber had joined the club as an assistant coach.