Ross Ongaro
Encyclopedia
Ross Ongaro is a retired Canadian soccer player who earned one cap each with the Canada U-20 men's national soccer team
and Canadian Olympic soccer team. He played professionally in the North American Soccer League
, Major Indoor Soccer League, Western Soccer Alliance and American Indoor Soccer Association. He has coached extensively at the professional level and was the head coach of the Canadian Beach Soccer and Futsal Teams until September 2011. He has been hired by the Chinese Football Association to become their National Beach Soccer Head Coach.
. In the fall of 1981, he moved to the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League where he played two seasons. In the summer of 1983, he played for the Edmonton Eagles]] of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. The Eagles went undefeated, winning the CPSL championship as Ongaro led the league in scoring. In the fall of 1983, he joined the Memphis Americans
for the 1983-1984 MISL season. In the fall of 1984, he joined the Milwaukee Wave
of the American Indoor Soccer Association where he served as both an assistant coach and player. He was the league's fourth leading goal scorer and finished second on the points list during 1985-1986. In 1986, he played for the Edmonton Brickmen
in the Western Soccer Alliance.
. He was on the roster of the team at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship
but did not play a game in the tournament. Ongaro also played one Olympic qualifying match in 1979.
(WSA/CSL) from 1985 to 1987. In 1990, he spent one season as head coach of the Brickmen. In 1996, the Chicago Power
of the National Professional Soccer League came under new ownership which moved the team to Edmonton. The team was renamed the Edmonton Drillers
and hired Ongaro as head coach. He was the 1997 and 1999 NPSL Coach of the Year. In 2004, he coached the Edmonton F.C. of the USL A-League.
On August 14, 2003, Ongaro was named by the Canadian Soccer Association as head coach for the Canadian National Futsal
team..
Prior to the hiring, he did not possess futsal experience neither as a player or coach. The first series of games under his tenure was a two-legged tie vs Panama, with the winner moving on to the CONCACAF Futsal Final Round. Panama defeated Canada 11:6 on aggregate (5-4, 1-7).. Ongaro is now joining the Chinese Football Association as Head Coach of their Beach Soccer Team.
Canada U-20 men's national soccer team
Canada U-20 men's national soccer team, also known as Canada Under-20s or Canada U-20s, is the youth club for national soccer in Canada. It plays a large role in the development of Canadian soccer, and is considered to be the feeder team for the Canada men's national soccer team...
and Canadian Olympic soccer team. He 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, Western Soccer Alliance and American Indoor Soccer Association. He has coached extensively at the professional level and was the head coach of the Canadian Beach Soccer and Futsal Teams until September 2011. He has been hired by the Chinese Football Association to become their National Beach Soccer Head Coach.
Professional
Iin 1980, Ongaro signed with the Edmonton Drillers in the North American Soccer League (NASL)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:...
. In the fall of 1981, he moved to the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League where he played two seasons. In the summer of 1983, he played for the Edmonton Eagles]] of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. The Eagles went undefeated, winning the CPSL championship as Ongaro led the league in scoring. In the fall of 1983, he joined the Memphis Americans
Memphis Americans
The Memphis Americans were a soccer team based out of Memphis, Tennessee that played in the old Major Indoor Soccer League. They played from 1981 to 1984. Their home arena was the Mid-South Coliseum....
for the 1983-1984 MISL season. In the fall of 1984, he joined the Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
of the American Indoor Soccer Association where he served as both an assistant coach and player. He was the league's fourth leading goal scorer and finished second on the points list during 1985-1986. In 1986, he played for the Edmonton Brickmen
Edmonton Brickmen
The Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton, Alberta-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.-History:...
in the Western Soccer Alliance.
National team
In 1979, Ongaro played one game with the Canada U-20 men's national soccer teamCanada U-20 men's national soccer team
Canada U-20 men's national soccer team, also known as Canada Under-20s or Canada U-20s, is the youth club for national soccer in Canada. It plays a large role in the development of Canadian soccer, and is considered to be the feeder team for the Canada men's national soccer team...
. He was on the roster of the team at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship
1979 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship, the second staging of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Japan from August 26 to September 7, 1979. The tournament took place in four venues — Kobe, Omiya, Tokyo and Yokohama — where a total of 32 matches were played, four more than in the...
but did not play a game in the tournament. Ongaro also played one Olympic qualifying match in 1979.
Coach
His coaching experience began as a Player - Assistant Coach with the Edmonton BrickmenEdmonton Brickmen
The Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton, Alberta-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.-History:...
(WSA/CSL) from 1985 to 1987. In 1990, he spent one season as head coach of the Brickmen. In 1996, the Chicago Power
Chicago Power
The Chicago Power were an indoor soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association and National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Edmonton Drillers.-Year-by-year:...
of the National Professional Soccer League came under new ownership which moved the team to Edmonton. The team was renamed the Edmonton Drillers
Edmonton Drillers (NPSL)
-Resurrection:On August 23, 1996, at a hastily arranged press conference at Telus Field it was announced that Peter Pocklington has purchased the Chicago Power of the National Professional Soccer League and was moving them to Edmonton for the rapidly approaching 96/97 season...
and hired Ongaro as head coach. He was the 1997 and 1999 NPSL Coach of the Year. In 2004, he coached the Edmonton F.C. of the USL A-League.
On August 14, 2003, Ongaro was named by the Canadian Soccer Association as head coach for the Canadian National Futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
team..
Prior to the hiring, he did not possess futsal experience neither as a player or coach. The first series of games under his tenure was a two-legged tie vs Panama, with the winner moving on to the CONCACAF Futsal Final Round. Panama defeated Canada 11:6 on aggregate (5-4, 1-7).. Ongaro is now joining the Chinese Football Association as Head Coach of their Beach Soccer Team.