Robert Meschbach
Encyclopedia
Robert Meschbach is a retired Canadian-American soccer midfielder
who played professionally in the North American Soccer League
, Major Indoor Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association.
and Werder Bremen in the German Bundesliga but turned down a contract offer in lieu of a scholarship at Indiana University
.
). Meschbach had 61 total goals while at IU, leading the nation in scoring his senior year with 27. During his tenure at IU, the team had a 76-9-4 record with 2 final four appearances. Meschbach scored a hat-trick
in 8 minutes, 50 seconds against the Cincinnati Bearcats
on October 8, 1980, an NCAA record until 1985.
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
. He also was a first round draft pick in the North American Soccer League
to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and opted to play for the Strikers. With the Strikers, Meschbach won Ft. Lauderdale Rookie of the Year honors, was voted NASL player of the week, and was considered one of the top Americans in the NASL. Robert's childhood idol was Gerd Müller
, who also played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. In 1984, Meschbach began the season with the Strikers but was traded to the Chicago Sting
in exchange for John McGrane
on May 7, 1984. He helped them win the 1984 NASL Championship. When the NASL collapsed at the end of the 1984 season, the Sting moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League. Meschbach began the season with the Sting, but was traded to the New York Cosmos
in exchange for Dan Canter
an undisclosed amount of cash on February 15, 1985. Meschbach played two games for the Cosmos before they folded mid-way through the season. During the summer of 1985, he played for the Chicago Maroons in the National Soccer League of Chicago
. On October 24, 1985, Meschbach rejoined the Sting as a free agent. The Sting released him a month later. Meschbach later sued the Sting for severance pay while playing for the Chicago Shoccers
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. On March 1, 1986, he signed a ten day contract with the San Diego Sockers but the deal fell through when he didn't clear waivers from the AISA before the trade deadline. In 2006, Meschbach was invited to play for the American Team in the North American Soccer League
Reunion game in Dallas.
Meschbach has coached youth club teams professionally for the last ten years. He led Eclipse Select U16 teams to the USYSA National Championships in 2001 and 2003. While with the Eclipse in 2003, Meschbach initiated the Eclipse Select boys program. Later in 2003, he left the Eclipse to start FC United, and held the position of Director of Technical Development for the boys and girls programs. In 2006 FC United won the U23 men's USASA state cup and in 2008, he led FC United U18 boys to a USYSA Illinois State Championship, the clubs first youth state cup. In the same year, he led the Ela Elite U23 men to a USASA National Championship and is currently coaching at Ela Elite.
Meschbach, along with his longtime assistant coaches, Frank Hermanutz and Eric Kuehl, take great pride in elevating players to the next level. Numerous former players are in the collegiate ranks or have had collegiate careers thanks to their coaching style, dedication and abilities.
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 played professionally in 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:...
, Major Indoor Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association.
High school
While born in Canada, Robert Meschbach was an All-American at Gordon Tech High School in Chicago, Illinois. In two seasons, he scored 105 goals. Seventy-one of those goals were scored in his final season, then a national record. Meschbach had trials with Rapid Vienna in the Austrian BundesligaAustrian Bundesliga
The Austrian Football Bundesliga is the highest-ranking national league club competition in Austrian football. It is the competition which decides the Austrian national football champions, as well the country's entrants for the various European cups run by UEFA.The Austrian Bundesliga, which began...
and Werder Bremen in the German Bundesliga but turned down a contract offer in lieu of a scholarship at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
.
College
At Indiana University, Meschbach became a 1st team All-American in 1980, and runner-up for the Hermann Award (the equivalent of the Heisman TrophyHeisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
). Meschbach had 61 total goals while at IU, leading the nation in scoring his senior year with 27. During his tenure at IU, the team had a 76-9-4 record with 2 final four appearances. Meschbach scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in 8 minutes, 50 seconds against the Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
on October 8, 1980, an NCAA record until 1985.
Professional
In 1980, Meschbach was the first player drafted for the Chicago HorizonChicago Horizon
The Chicago Horizons was a member of the original Major Indoor Soccer League for only the 1980–81 season. It was the first of two franchises that represented Chicago in the circuit's history. It was the first professional sports team that played its home matches at the Rosemont Horizon, which also...
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...
. He also was a first round draft pick in 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:...
to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and opted to play for the Strikers. With the Strikers, Meschbach won Ft. Lauderdale Rookie of the Year honors, was voted NASL player of the week, and was considered one of the top Americans in the NASL. Robert's childhood idol was Gerd Müller
Gerd Müller
Gerhard "Gerd" Müller is a former German football player and one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time.With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances, 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and the international record of 66 goals in 74 European Club games, he was one of the...
, who also played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. In 1984, Meschbach began the season with the Strikers but was traded to the Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
in exchange for John McGrane
John McGrane
John McGrane is a retired Scottish-Canadian soccer defender who played nine North American Soccer League seasons and seventeen times for the Canadian national soccer team. He also played in the Montreal Olympics.-Club career:...
on May 7, 1984. He helped them win the 1984 NASL Championship. When the NASL collapsed at the end of the 1984 season, the Sting moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League. Meschbach began the season with the Sting, but was traded to the 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...
in exchange for Dan Canter
Dan Canter
Dan Canter is a retired U.S. soccer defender. He played three seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned twenty-nine caps with the U.S. national team, scoring two goals, between 1983 and 1985....
an undisclosed amount of cash on February 15, 1985. Meschbach played two games for the Cosmos before they folded mid-way through the season. During the summer of 1985, he played for the Chicago Maroons in the National Soccer League of Chicago
National Soccer League of Chicago
The National Soccer League of Chicago, formed by the merger of the Chicago Soccer League and International Soccer Football League of Chicago in 1928, is a semi-professional U.S...
. On October 24, 1985, Meschbach rejoined the Sting as a free agent. The Sting released him a month later. Meschbach later sued the Sting for severance pay while playing for the Chicago Shoccers
Chicago Shoccers
The Chicago Vultures were an indoor soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association.After their first season, the club was renamed the Chicago Shoccers.-Former Players:...
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. On March 1, 1986, he signed a ten day contract with the San Diego Sockers but the deal fell through when he didn't clear waivers from the AISA before the trade deadline. In 2006, Meschbach was invited to play for the American Team in 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:...
Reunion game in Dallas.
Coaching
While in college, Meschbach began coaching at the IU Soccer Camps. Meschbach also coached boys Varsity at Plantation High School in 1982 while playing for the Strikers. He coached girls Varsity at St. Viator High School, where the Lions won back to back IHSA State Championships in 2002 & 2003. Also coached boys at Carmel HS in Mundelein 2006. Additionally was an ODP evaluator for the state of Illinois 2000 & 2001.Meschbach has coached youth club teams professionally for the last ten years. He led Eclipse Select U16 teams to the USYSA National Championships in 2001 and 2003. While with the Eclipse in 2003, Meschbach initiated the Eclipse Select boys program. Later in 2003, he left the Eclipse to start FC United, and held the position of Director of Technical Development for the boys and girls programs. In 2006 FC United won the U23 men's USASA state cup and in 2008, he led FC United U18 boys to a USYSA Illinois State Championship, the clubs first youth state cup. In the same year, he led the Ela Elite U23 men to a USASA National Championship and is currently coaching at Ela Elite.
Meschbach, along with his longtime assistant coaches, Frank Hermanutz and Eric Kuehl, take great pride in elevating players to the next level. Numerous former players are in the collegiate ranks or have had collegiate careers thanks to their coaching style, dedication and abilities.
External links
- http://studentsportssoccer.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=458082
- http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/soccer/soccer_records_book/2007/2007_soccer_records.pdf
- http://mywebpages.comcast.net/dulyjs/strikers/strikers.html
- http://www.elaelite.com
- NASL/MISL stats