Derek Backman

Derek Backman

Personal information
Date of birth	January 6, 1966 (1966-01-06) (age 45)
Place of birth	South Africa
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
	Arcadia Shepherds
1983-1987	College of Boca Raton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1988	Tampa Bay Rowdies	?	(4)
1989	Fort Lauderdale Strikers
1989-1993	Tampa Bay Rowdies
1994	St. Petersburg Kickers
1995	Tampa Bay Cyclones
1996-1997	Tampa Bay Mutiny	28	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Derek Backman (born January 6, 1966 in South Africa) is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder who played in the USISL. Backman played for the Arcadia Shepherds in his native South Africa before moving to the United States in 1983 to attend the College of Boca Raton. In 1987, Backman and his team mates won the NAIA national men's soccer championship. Backman was also a two time first team NAIA All American. He graduated in 1989 and was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.^[1] In 1988, Backman signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies as it prepared to enter the newly established American Soccer League.^[2] He moved to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the first part of the 1989 season before returning to the Rowdies for the end of the season.^[3] He then remained a regular with the team until sidelined in 1993 with a stress fracture in his left ankle. In 1990, the Rowdies moved to the American Professional Soccer League and folded at the end of the 1993 season. Backman remained in the Tampa area, coaching youth soccer and working in his family’s interior design business. He also played with the amateur St. Petersburg Kickers. In 1995, Backman gained his U.S. citizenship. That year, he played for the expansion Tampa Bay Cyclones in the USISL.^[4] In February 1996, the Tampa Bay Mutiny selected Backman in the 11th round (107th overall) of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. He played 25 games with the Mutiny in 1996, but only three in 1997. He retired in 1998.

References

1. ^ Hall of Fame Inductees
2. ^ 1988 American Soccer League
3. ^ 1989 American Soccer League
4. ^ Rowdie redux Series: Hillsborough SPORTS EXTRA

External links

• Tampa Bay Rowdies Player Profile

Persondata
Name	Backman, Derek
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 6, 1966
Place of birth	South Africa
Date of death
Place of death