Tony Chursky

Infobox Football biography
playername= Tony Chursky


fullname =
nickname = Poetry Man
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1953|6|13
cityofbirth = New Westminster, British Columbia
countryofbirth = Canada
height = height|ft=5|in=10
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears = 1969-1970
youthclubs = Vancouver Croatia
Vancouver Spartans
Simon Fraser University
years = 1976-1978
1979
1979
1980-1982
1983-1985
clubs = Seattle Sounders
California Surf
Chicago Sting
Toronto Blizzard
Tacoma Stars ("indoor")
caps(goals) = 80 (0)
04 (0)
18 (0)
56 (0)
nationalyears = 1973-1981
nationalteam = Canada
nationalcaps(goals) = 19 (0)
pcupdate = 17:47, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 7 December 2006

Tony Chursky (born on June 13, 1953 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada) is a former Canadian national soccer team and NASL goalkeeper.

Player

Chursky grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia and attended Simon Fraser University where he graduated with a degree in English Literature. He is of Ukrainian descent.

He made an impressive debut in goal for Canada against Poland, then the Olympic champions, in 1973 while still an unknown amateur. He would go on to earn 19 caps with the national team.

He then joined the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1976 and finished with the league's best record for goalkeepers. Despite that, he did not gain any official recognition, whether as an All Star or Rookie of the Year. Chursky played three seasons for the Seattle Sounders before being traded to the California Surf for Al Trost in January 1979. The Surf turned around and traded him to the Chicago Sting later that season. In and finally the Toronto Blizzard. He played in 145 NASL regular season games and 11 play off games including Soccer Bowl 1977 against the New York Cosmos. Despite his outstanding career, Chursky will be remembered by many for the mistake which led to the Cosmos first goal over the Sounders in Pele's August 1977 final match. Chursky saved a shot, then put the ball on the ground and began dribbling towards his goal. Cosmos forward Steve Hunt rushed at Chursky who, due to being deaf in one ear, did not hear his teammates' cries. Hunt stole the ball and scored to tie the game at one. Giorgio Chinaglia then scored to win the game for the Cosmos.

Chursky played MISL pro indoor soccer for at least two seasons with the Tacoma Stars. ^{[http://soundercentral.com/gallery/OldTacomaStars/86tstar7]}

Teacher

Chursky teaches and coaches at Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington. He is also an English Teacher in ENS (Emirates National School).

In 2005, the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inducted Chursky.

External links

* [http://www.thesoccerhalloffame.ca/OSN.nsf/c1bfa845a2dec3bf85256b0b005d4116/ed1e1174905d92e185256e220074d8bb?OpenDocument Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee page]
* [http://soundercentral.com/museum/1978updatesDec03/tony_chursky_1978_seattle_sounde.htm Seattle Sounders article]
* [http://soundercentral.com/museum/WATN/tony_chursky.htm Chursky profile]