Neathan Gibson
Encyclopedia
Neathan Gibson is a Zimbabwe
n soccer player currently Coaching for Des Moines Menace
in the USL Premier Development League
.
at Lynn University
, where he was a first team NAIA All-American and claimed Most Valuable Player Award laurels in the 1994 National Collegiate Senior Bowl. He also helped lead Lynn to the NAIA National Championship in 1991.
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
. He later spent time playing in Malaysia with the Sarawak FA
and in Japan with Albirex Niigata
, before moving to Sweden where he played in the Allsvenskan
for IFK Norrköping
.
Gibson moved to Finland in 1998 and played two years in the Veikkausliiga
for MYPA
. MYPA finished third in the league in both years Gibson played, qualifying for the 2000 InterToto Cup, with Gibson setting a new club single-season goal scoring record with 20 goals.
Gibson played in Major League Soccer
for the Colorado Rapids
in 2001, and also played for the Rochester Raging Rhinos
winning the Championship title in the A-League
before retiring from the Professional game.
Gibson briefly came out of retirement in 2010 at the age of 40 when, having already been hired as head coach Laurie Calloway
's assistant, he agreed to join the playing roster of Des Moines Menace
in the USL Premier Development League
; he played his first game for the team on June 18, 2010 as a substitute in a game against Thunder Bay Chill
, in which he tallied an assist and came close to scoring on several occasions.
in the early 2000s prior to him being hired as the head coach for the West Michigan Edge
of the USL Premier Development League
from November 2003 to November 2004.
In 2006, Gibson accepted a head coaching
job with Ferris State University
in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
in Big Rapids, Michigan
. In his first year, Gibson directed the Bulldogs to a 7-11 overall mark along with a fifth-place GLIAC finish.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
n soccer player currently Coaching for Des Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at Valley...
in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
College
Gibson played four years of college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at Lynn University
Lynn University
Lynn University is a private, non-profit university in Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 1962.The university currently hosts students from 40 states and 90 nations...
, where he was a first team NAIA All-American and claimed Most Valuable Player Award laurels in the 1994 National Collegiate Senior Bowl. He also helped lead Lynn to the NAIA National Championship in 1991.
Professional
Gibson signed his first professional contract in 1994 when he signed with the San Jose GrizzliesSan Jose Grizzlies
San Jose Grizzlies were a professional indoor soccer team based in San Jose, California. The team was founded on November 24, 1993 as a member of the Continental Indoor Soccer League. After playing in the 1994 and 1995 CISL seasons, the Grizzlies folded following the 1995 season. The team played...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
. He later spent time playing in Malaysia with the Sarawak FA
Sarawak FA
The Football Association of Sarawak enters a team in Malaysian football competitions to represent the state of Sarawak...
and in Japan with Albirex Niigata
Albirex Niigata
is a Japanese J. League Division 1 association football team. Despite the club's relative youth, only joining the J. League in 1999, Albirex are one of Japan's best supported teams. In 2003, while still playing in the second tier of Japanese football , Albirex attracted the best average crowd in...
, before moving to Sweden where he played in the Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
for IFK Norrköping
IFK Norrköping
IFK Norrköping is a Swedish football club based in Norrköping. The club, formed on 29 May 1897, is currently playing in the first division of Swedish football, Allsvenskan...
.
Gibson moved to Finland in 1998 and played two years in the Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Veikkausliiga is currently ranked as the 28th best league in Europe. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name...
for MYPA
MyPa
Myllykosken Pallo –47 is a Finnish football club, based in the industrial town of Myllykoski, part of the city of Kouvola since January 2009. They currently play in the Finnish Premier Division...
. MYPA finished third in the league in both years Gibson played, qualifying for the 2000 InterToto Cup, with Gibson setting a new club single-season goal scoring record with 20 goals.
Gibson played 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...
for the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
in 2001, and also played for the Rochester Raging Rhinos
Rochester Raging Rhinos
The Rochester Rhinos are an American professional soccer team based in Rochester, New York, United States. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having self-relegated from the USSF D2 Pro League...
winning the Championship title in the A-League
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
before retiring from the Professional game.
Gibson briefly came out of retirement in 2010 at the age of 40 when, having already been hired as head coach Laurie Calloway
Laurie Calloway
Laurence John "Laurie" Calloway is a retired English-U.S. soccer defender who spent thirteen years in the English leagues and six years in the North American Soccer League....
's assistant, he agreed to join the playing roster of Des Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at Valley...
in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
; he played his first game for the team on June 18, 2010 as a substitute in a game against Thunder Bay Chill
Thunder Bay Chill
Thunder Bay Chill is a Canadian soccer team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2000, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American and Canadian soccer pyramids, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games...
, in which he tallied an assist and came close to scoring on several occasions.
Coaching career
Gibson has extensive coaching experience, having coached youth boys and girls squads overseas in both Finland and Japan during his playing career. Gibson worked with the Des Moines MenaceDes Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at Valley...
in the early 2000s prior to him being hired as the head coach for the West Michigan Edge
West Michigan Edge
West Michigan Edge was an American soccer team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played...
of the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
from November 2003 to November 2004.
In 2006, Gibson accepted a head coaching
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
job with Ferris State University
Ferris State University
Ferris State University is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1884 as the Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, an educator from New England who later served as governor of the State of Michigan and finally in the US Senate where...
in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate...
in Big Rapids, Michigan
Big Rapids, Michigan
Big Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,849. It is the county seat of Mecosta County. The city is located within Big Rapids Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
. In his first year, Gibson directed the Bulldogs to a 7-11 overall mark along with a fifth-place GLIAC finish.