Jim McAlister (American soccer)

Infobox Football biography
playername= Jimmy McAlister


fullname = Jimmy McAlister
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1957|5|4
cityofbirth = the Bronx, New York
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=5|in=8
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1976-1979
1980
1981-1983
1983-1986
1989
clubs = Seattle Sounders
Toronto Blizzard
San Jose Earthquakes
Tacoma Stars ("indoor")
Seattle Storm
caps(goals) = 79 (2)
8 (0)
64 (0)
nationalyears = 1977-1979
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 6 (0)
manageryears =
2000-2005
2006
managerclubs = Tacoma Stars
Decatur High School
Hibernian Saints
pcupdate = 17:47, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 7 December 2006

Jimmy McAlister (born May 4, 1957 in the Bronx, New York) is a retired U.S. soccer defender. He was the 1977 NASL Rookie of the Year and earned six caps with the U.S. national team.

McAlister grew up in Seattle where he attended John F. Kennedy High School in Seattle, Washington. When he graduated in 1976, the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League immediately signed him to play left back.

McAlister saw time in only two first team games in 1976, spending most of his time in the reserve team. In 1977, he became an integral part of a strong Sounders team which went to the NASL championship only to lose to the Pele-led New York Cosmos. McAlister’s defensive abilities led to Pele trading his jersey with McAlister at the end of the game. His outstanding season led to McAlister receiving NASL Rookie of the Year. McAlister spent one more season with Seattle before being traded to Toronto Blizzard. After one year in Toronto, he moved again, this time to the San Jose Earthquakes. While in San Jose, he played in both the NASL and the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) as the Earthquakes jumped between the two leagues. When the Tacoma Stars was established as an MISL franchise in 1983, McAlister moved back home. He remained with the Stars through the 1985-1986 season.

McAlister earned six caps with the U.S. national team between 1977 and 1979. His success with the Sounders brought McAlister to the attention of the national team. He earned his first cap in a September 18, 1977 loss to Guatemala. He then played only sporadically over the next two years with his last cap coming in a February 11, 1979 loss to the Soviet Union

In 2000, McAlister became the head coach of the Decatur High School boys soccer team. The next season, he coached them to an undefeated season and the Washington State 4A championship.

McAlister was head coach of professional club Hibernian Saints in 2006.

External links

* [http://soundercentral.com/museum/1977updates/Soccer%20Bowl%201977/jimmy_mcalister_1977_rookie.htm 1977 Sounders bio]
* [http://soundercentral.com/museum/1978updatesDec03/jimmy_mcallister_1978_seattle_so.htm 1978 Sounders feater]