Danny DeVall
Encyclopedia
Daniel LeCroy “Danny” DeVall (born September 15, 1972 in Memphis, Tennessee
) is a U.S. soccer midfielder
and the founder and CEO of Local Business Marketing Corporation. He played two games for the Colorado Rapids
in Major League Soccer
but has spent most of his career with his current team, the Nashville Metros
.
. DeVall excelled at sports and went on to compete in Soccer and Wrestling at Memphis Catholic High School where he graduated in 1990. He was given a full scholarship for soccer by Chris Bartels, the head coach of the University of Memphis
, at that time called Memphis State University.
and starting at times as a freshman, he dropped out to pursue his dream of being a professional soccer player. DeVall played two years for the Memphis Jackals of the semi-pro USISL. In 1996, while playing on the Tennessee Olympic Development Program (ODP) team, the coach of the USISL club Nashville Metros
, Rhomes “Zito” Aur, recruited DeVall to play for him. In 1997, the Nashville Metros
were promoted to full professional status as an A-League division team of the USL
. In 1999, financial considerations led to the team moving to Franklin, Tennessee
and renaming itself the Tennessee Rhythm. In 2000, DeVall was called up by the Colorado Rapids
of Major League Soccer
. DeVall played 30 minutes of his first MLS game against the Columbus Crew
. He then started and played 80 minutes of his next game for the Colorado Rapids
at a home game in Denver, Colorado
. DeVall was offered the league minimum, $24,000 per year, by head coach Glenn Myernick
. DeVall turned down the offer as he was making more than double the money in Nashville playing for the Metros and working as a mortgage broker for People’s Home Equity. In 2001, the Rhythm returned to Nashville, regaining the Metros name. It also dropped from the USL A-League to the fourth division Premier Development League. DeVall continues to play for the Metros, holding the team record in games played.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
) is a U.S. soccer midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and the founder and CEO of Local Business Marketing Corporation. He played two games for the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
but has spent most of his career with his current team, the Nashville Metros
Nashville Metros
Nashville Metros is an American soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1989, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference...
.
Youth
The son of Roger DeVall and Diana Dillingham Mon, Daniel DeVall attended St. Ann’s Elementary School in Bartlett, TN, a suburb of MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. DeVall excelled at sports and went on to compete in Soccer and Wrestling at Memphis Catholic High School where he graduated in 1990. He was given a full scholarship for soccer by Chris Bartels, the head coach of the University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
, at that time called Memphis State University.
Soccer
After a year at the University of MemphisUniversity of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
and starting at times as a freshman, he dropped out to pursue his dream of being a professional soccer player. DeVall played two years for the Memphis Jackals of the semi-pro USISL. In 1996, while playing on the Tennessee Olympic Development Program (ODP) team, the coach of the USISL club Nashville Metros
Nashville Metros
Nashville Metros is an American soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1989, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference...
, Rhomes “Zito” Aur, recruited DeVall to play for him. In 1997, the Nashville Metros
Nashville Metros
Nashville Metros is an American soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1989, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference...
were promoted to full professional status as an A-League division team of the USL
USL
USL may refer to:Arts and entertainment* Underground Sound of Lisbon, a Portuguese dance music project* Urban Strawberry Lunch, a Band from LiverpoolComputing* Universal Systems Language, a language for system engineering and software development...
. In 1999, financial considerations led to the team moving to Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
and renaming itself the Tennessee Rhythm. In 2000, DeVall was called up by the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. DeVall played 30 minutes of his first MLS game against the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. He then started and played 80 minutes of his next game for the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
at a home game in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. DeVall was offered the league minimum, $24,000 per year, by head coach Glenn Myernick
Glenn Myernick
Glenn "Mooch" Myernick was an American soccer player and coach. He won the 1976 Hermann Trophy as that year’s outstanding collegiate player. He then spent eight seasons in the North American Soccer League and one in Major Indoor Soccer League. Myernick also earned 10 caps with the U.S. national...
. DeVall turned down the offer as he was making more than double the money in Nashville playing for the Metros and working as a mortgage broker for People’s Home Equity. In 2001, the Rhythm returned to Nashville, regaining the Metros name. It also dropped from the USL A-League to the fourth division Premier Development League. DeVall continues to play for the Metros, holding the team record in games played.