Steve Morris (soccer)

Steve Morris
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-11-02) 2 November 1967 (age 57)
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Forward / Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1990 Syracuse Orange 64 (43)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991 Hamilton Steelers 21 (1)
1991–1992 Wichita Wings (indoor) 38 (9)
1992 London Lasers 13 (2)
1992–2001 Milwaukee Wave (indoor) 325 (190)
1995 Chicago Stingers
Rockford Raptors
1997–1998 Milwaukee Rampage 23 (6)
Managerial career
2003 Milwaukee Wave United (assistant)
2003–2005 Milwaukee Wave (assistant)
2006–2008 Chicago Storm
2017–2022 Chicago FC United (MLS Next)
2022– Bavarian FC (MLS Next)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Steve Morris (born 2 November 1967) is a Scottish retired association football player and coach. Morris spent most of his career with the Milwaukee Wave of the National Professional Soccer League, but he also played in the USISL A-League and the first Major Indoor Soccer League.

Player

Youth

Born in Scotland, Morris moved to Canada with his family before eventually settling in Evanston, Illinois. Morris graduated from Evanston Township High School where he was the 1986 Illinois High School Soccer Player of the Year. In 1997, Evanston Township High School inducted Morris into its Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1986, Morris entered Syracuse University. He was the 1986 Syracuse Orangeman Rookie of the Year, but low grades led to the loss of his athletic eligibility. He enrolled as a part-time student for the 1987–1988 academic year and raised his grades enough to return full-time in the fall of 1988. He rejoined the soccer team and played three consecutive seasons, setting numerous school scoring records.[1] He graduated in 1991. In October 1993, the NCAA stripped Syracuse of all thirty-three victories during Morris' last three season when it was discovered that Syracuse head coach Tim Hankinson had violated NCAA rules by co-signing a loan with Morris.[2]

Morris is one of 22 college players to be part of the 40-40 club, having both 40 goals and 40 assists in their college career.[3]

Professional

In 1991, Morris trained with the Doncaster Rovers in England. He never appears in a league match. Morris then moved to Canada where he played for the Hamilton Steelers of the Canadian Soccer League.[4] That fall, Morris began his extensive indoor career with the Wichita Wings of the Major Indoor Soccer League.[5] On 17 December 1992, Morris signed with the Milwaukee Wave of the National Professional Soccer League.[6] Morris played for the Wave every winter until his retirement in 2001. During those years, the Wave won the 1998, 2000 and 2001 championships. In 2002, the Wave retired Morris' jersey number.[7] In addition to his indoor career, Morris also played for the Chicago Stingers in the 1995 USISL Professional League and the Rockford Raptors. On 5 August 1997, Morris signed with the Milwaukee Rampage of the USISL A-League.[8] Morris won the league title with the Rampage that season.

Coach

In 2003, Morris served as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Wave United of the USL A-League. That fall, he joined the Milwaukee Wave as an assistant for two seasons. In August 2006, the Chicago Storm hired Morris as head coach.[9]

Morris joined Chicago FC United in 2017 and was the Academy Program Director for the club's MLS Next program.[10]

Morris joined Bavarian United Soccer Club in 2022 as the Executive Director.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Syracuse Orangemen: Steve Morris". Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  2. ^ Syracuse forfeits 33 wins
  3. ^ "Players With 40 Goals and 40 Assists". Division I Men's Soccer Records (PDF) (19th ed.). Indianapolis: NCAA. 10 August 2018. pp. 7–8. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Stephen Morris soccer statistics on StatsCrew.com".
  5. ^ Wichita Wings: Steve Morris
  6. ^ "TRANSACTIONS (Published 1992)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018.
  7. ^ Morris Has Jersey Retired By the Milwaukee Wave
  8. ^ "TRANSACTIONS (Published 1997)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018.
  9. ^ Steve Morris Named As Chicago Storm Head Coach
  10. ^ "Chicago FC United". www.chicagofcunited.com. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Bavarian United is excited to announce the hiring of Steve Morris as our new Executive Director". Twitter. Retrieved 4 June 2022.