Louis Nanchoff

Infobox Football biography
playername= Louie Nanchoff


fullname = Louis Nanchoff
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1956|5|13
cityofbirth = Resen, Macedonia
countryofbirth = Yugoslavia
height = height|ft=5|in=10
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Forward / Midfielder
youthyears = 1974-1977
youthclubs = University of Akron
years = 1978
1979-1980
1980-1982
1982-1985
1985-1986
1986-1987
clubs = Colorado Caribous
Atlanta Chiefs
Philadelphia Fever "(indoor)"
Cleveland Force "(indoor)"
Dallas Sidekicks "(indoor)"
St. Louis Steamers "(indoor)"
caps(goals) = 23 0(4)
32 0(7)
41 (37)
nationalyears = 1979-1980
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 10 (1)
pcupdate = 17:47, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 7 December 2006

Louis “Louie” Nanchoff (born May 13, 1956 in Resen, Yugoslavia (Macedonia) is a retired U.S.-Yugoslavian soccer player. He spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League and seven seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned ten caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team between 1979 and 1980.

Youth and college

Louis immigrated with his family from Macedonia, formerly part of Yugoslavia, when he was twelve years old. His family settled in Akron, Ohio where he attended Central-Hower High School. After high school, he attended the University of Akron where he played as a forward on the men’s soccer team from 1974-1977. He, and his brother George were top players with the Zips. Both Louie and George earned first team All American honors in 1976. This was the first time in NCAA history that two brothers received first team recognition the same year. Louie then garnered second team honors in 1977.

NASL

In 1978, the expansion franchise Colorado Caribous of the North American Soccer League selected Nanchoff in the NASL College Draft. He spent that season with the Caribous, then moved with the team when it relocated to Atlanta between the 1978 and 1979 seasons. Nanchoff continued with the team, now known as the Atlanta Chiefs, for the next two seasons before leaving outdoor soccer. Nanchoff played in fifty-five regular season games during his three seasons in the NASL.

MISL

In 1980, Nanchoff signed with the Philadelphia Fever of the Major Indoor Soccer League. ^{[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E0DA1439F931A35750C0A967948260&sec=&spon=]} He spent the next two indoor seasons with the Fever. However, in 1982, the team moved to Los Angeles. Nanchoff did not make that move. Instead, he signed with the Cleveland Force. In the 1983-1984 season, his most productive with the Force, he scored thirty-six goals in forty-two games. On August 16, 1985, Nanchoff signed as a free agent with the Dallas Sidekicks. In his one season with the Sidekicks, he scored thirty-eight goals in forty-five regular season and playoff games. In July 1986, Dallas sold Nanchoff’s contract to the St. Louis Steamers. He spent one season in St. Louis, then retired from playing professionally in 1987.

National and Olympic Teams

Nanchoff earned ten caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team between 1979 and 1980. His first cap came in a February 11, 1979 loss to the Soviet Union. On October 26, 1979, he scored his lone national team goal in a 2-0 victory over Hungary in Budapest. His last game came in a November 9, 1980 loss to Mexico.

In 1979, Nanchoff was also a critical part of the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics to be held in Moscow. He led the team in scoring, but his, and his team mates, hopes for success at the games were crushed when President Carter boycotted the games in protest of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

Coaching

Since retiring, Nanchoff has joined his brother George as a coach with the Cleveland-based Internationals Soccer Club where he coaches a boy’s team.

In 1996, Summit County inducted Nancoff into its Sports Hall of Fame

External links

* [http://www.internationalssoccer.com/club/staff/staff.cfm Internationals Soccer Club roster]
* [http://www.kicksfan.com/players/nanchoff/index.htm Sidekicks profile]
* [http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10800&ATCLID=323406 University of Akron article]
* [http://www.summitcountysportshalloffame.com/Inductees/1996.htm Summit County Hall of Fame profile]