Thabiso Khumalo
Encyclopedia
Thabiso "Boyzzz" Khumalo (born October 27, 1980 in Soweto
) is a South Africa
n footballer currently playing for Pittsburgh Riverhounds
in the USL Professional Division.
. Khumalo attended Bethlehem High School in Bardstown, Kentucky
, played club soccer for the Nelson County Assassins, Javanon and Lexington Premier, and played college soccer
for Lindsey Wilson College
and Coastal Carolina University
while studying for a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. During his college years Khumalo also played in the USL Premier Development League
for both Mid-Michigan Bucks and Chicago Fire Premier
.
, but never played a game in MLS, and instead spent time with Charleston Battery
in the USL First Division
. He joined USL Second Division
side Wilmington Hammerheads
in 2006, and then returned to South Africa, where he played for the Vodacom League
team Alexandra United for his former coach, Farouk Khan.
Khumalo returned to the United States in 2008, playing for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
in the USL Second Division
, where he was named to the USL-2 Team of the Year, played all 20 games, and registered six goals and three assists to finish tied for sixth in points in the league. He was also named in the Team of the Week on four occasions, and named Player of the Week once.
On September 10, 2008, Khumalo signed on loan with D.C. United
. He bagged his first goal for D.C. United
during a 5-2 loss to Los Angeles Galaxy
on September 21, 2008. Khumalo's success on loan led to United signing him on a permanent basis after the 2008 season ended. Khumalo was released by D.C. United on 27 July 2010.
In November 2010, the Louisville Lightning
from the Premier Arena Soccer League
announced they had signed Khumalo to play in the 2010-11 season.
On March 14, 2011, Khumalo signed a contract with Pittsburgh Riverhounds
, now playing in the USL Pro
league.
Soweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
) is a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n footballer currently playing for Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL Professional Division.
Early Life and College
As a boy, Khumalo played under Farouk Khan at the "Super Centre" at the Transnet School of Excellence, before moving to the United States at the age of 16, settling in KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Khumalo attended Bethlehem High School in Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
, played club soccer for the Nelson County Assassins, Javanon and Lexington Premier, and played college soccer
College 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...
for Lindsey Wilson College
Lindsey Wilson College
Lindsey Wilson College is a private four-year college affiliated with the United Methodist Church in an open ecumenical atmosphere. The 45 acre campus is located in Columbia, Kentucky. The school currently offers associate degrees in 11 areas of study, bachelor degrees in 20 areas of study and...
and Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University is an independent, state-supported, liberal arts university in Conway, South Carolina, USA, located eight miles west of Myrtle Beach. Founded in 1954, Coastal became an independent university in 1993. The University enrolls approximately 8,300 students on its campus...
while studying for a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education. During his college years Khumalo also played 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...
for both Mid-Michigan Bucks and Chicago Fire Premier
Chicago Fire Premier
Chicago Fire Premier is an American soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 2001, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Great Lakes Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at...
.
Professional
Khumalo was drafted by Chicago Fire in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft2005 MLS SuperDraft
The 2005 MLS SuperDraft, held in Baltimore, Maryland on January 14, 2005, was the sixth incarnation of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Expansion club Real Salt Lake had the first pick as the result of a coin toss . RSL drafted Under-17 midfielder Nikolas Besagno with the first selection...
, but never played a game in MLS, and instead spent time with Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. He joined USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
side Wilmington Hammerheads
Wilmington Hammerheads
Wilmington Hammerheads is an American professional soccer team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Founded in 1996, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in 2006, and then returned to South Africa, where he played for the Vodacom League
Vodacom League
Vodacom League, sometimes also referred to as Vodacom Promotional League, was founded in 1998 as the current Second Division and the overall third tier of South African football . The competition is regulated by SAFA, and sponsored by mobile telecommunications company Vodacom...
team Alexandra United for his former coach, Farouk Khan.
Khumalo returned to the United States in 2008, playing for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
, where he was named to the USL-2 Team of the Year, played all 20 games, and registered six goals and three assists to finish tied for sixth in points in the league. He was also named in the Team of the Week on four occasions, and named Player of the Week once.
On September 10, 2008, Khumalo signed on loan with D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. 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 since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
. He bagged his first goal for D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. 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 since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
during a 5-2 loss to Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, 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, and the league's second...
on September 21, 2008. Khumalo's success on loan led to United signing him on a permanent basis after the 2008 season ended. Khumalo was released by D.C. United on 27 July 2010.
In November 2010, the Louisville Lightning
Louisville Lightning
Louisville Lightning are an indoor soccer team based in Louisville, Kentucky. They joined the Professional Arena Soccer League in 2009. They were confirmed as an expansion team in August of that year and began playing in November of the same year. -History:...
from the Premier Arena Soccer League
Premier Arena Soccer League
The Premier Arena Soccer League is an Indoor Soccer league with amateur and semi-professional teams. PASL-Premier currently has 38 teams in 6 divisions across the USA and Mexico. PASL-Premier is the official developmental league of the Professional Arena Soccer League .Teams play in regional...
announced they had signed Khumalo to play in the 2010-11 season.
On March 14, 2011, Khumalo signed a contract with Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
, now playing in the USL Pro
USL Pro
The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
league.