Don Ebert
Encyclopedia
Don Ebert is a retired U.S. soccer forward
who spent most of his career with two indoor clubs, the St. Louis Steamers
and the Los Angeles Lazers
.
. Following high school, Ebert attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
(SIU-E) where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1977 to 1979. Ebert quickly became a mainstay of the Cougers offense, leading the team in goals all three seasons. In 1977, he scored fourteen goals and was tied for the team lead in assists with six. In 1978, he scored sixteen and in 1979 he upped his total once more, to twenty-two. That season he also led the team in assists, with ten. SIU-E also won the NCAA championship
, defeating Clemson
3-2. Ebert chose to leave college after only three years in order to pursue a professional career. In 2006, SIU-E inducted the entire 1979 men’s soccer team into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
of the North American Soccer League
selected Ebert with the first pick in the 1980 College Draft. Ebert, unhappy with his lack of playing time, and stubborn coach, asked for his release in June in order to go back to his home town and play for the St. Louis Steamers
of Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL), who he signed with in August 1980. That season, he led the team with 46 goals and 64 points. This extraordinary output by a rookie led to his selection as the 1980-1981 MISL Rookie of the Year. He remained with the Steamers into the 1986-1987 season. That year, the Steamers began poorly and head coach Pat McBride
was fired to be replaced by Tony Glavin
. Glavin promptly traded Ebert to the Los Angeles Lazers
where Ebert finished his career.
held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
. Ebert made an immediate splash in the Pan American Games
when he scored four goals in a 6-0 victory over the Dominican Republic
. He was the captain of the U.S. team which qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics
. During qualification for the Olympic games the United States easily qualified as Ebert scored three goals in four games. Unfortunately for the Americans, President Jimmy Carter
chose to boycott the games after the Soviet Union
invaded Afghanistan
.
. From 2001 to 2008 Don turned the Concordia University Irvine Soccer program into a NAIA powerhouse. Leaving in 2008 with a lifetime record of 111 wins - 50 losses - 7 ties.
of the defunct indoor club Anaheim Splash
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
during the 1997-1998 season.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who spent most of his career with two indoor clubs, the St. Louis Steamers
St. Louis Steamers (1979–1988)
The original St. Louis Steamers played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 through 1988. Their home fixtures were held at the St. Louis Arena.-Ownership:* Ben Kerner & Partnership * Thomas M...
and the Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers were a soccer team based out of Los Angeles that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1982 to 1989.-History:Major Indoor Soccer League awarded a Los Angeles franchise to Jerry Buss on June 24, 1982. Buss had purchased the Philadelphia Fever and wanted to move it to...
.
Youth
Ebert attended Rosary High School Missouri. In 1976, Ebert and his team mates went to the state high school championship game where they lost to Oakville High School , which was coached by Jim BokernJim Bokern
Jim Bokern is a retired U.S. soccer forward who played three seasons in the North American Soccer League. He then went on to coach at the high school, collegiate and amateur levels. He won a high school state title, three NCAA Division I, a National Amateur Cup, a U.S. Open Cup, and two USSF...
. Following high school, Ebert attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, commonly abbreviated SIUE, is a four-year coed public university in Edwardsville, Illinois about from St. Louis, Missouri. SIUE was established in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and is the younger of the two largest...
(SIU-E) where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1977 to 1979. Ebert quickly became a mainstay of the Cougers offense, leading the team in goals all three seasons. In 1977, he scored fourteen goals and was tied for the team lead in assists with six. In 1978, he scored sixteen and in 1979 he upped his total once more, to twenty-two. That season he also led the team in assists, with ten. SIU-E also won the NCAA championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
, defeating Clemson
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are any team that represents Clemson University as a member of the NCAA's Division I or in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference....
3-2. Ebert chose to leave college after only three years in order to pursue a professional career. In 2006, SIU-E inducted the entire 1979 men’s soccer team into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional
The New York CosmosNew York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
selected Ebert with the first pick in the 1980 College Draft. Ebert, unhappy with his lack of playing time, and stubborn coach, asked for his release in June in order to go back to his home town and play for the St. Louis Steamers
St. Louis Steamers (1979–1988)
The original St. Louis Steamers played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 through 1988. Their home fixtures were held at the St. Louis Arena.-Ownership:* Ben Kerner & Partnership * Thomas M...
of Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
(MISL), who he signed with in August 1980. That season, he led the team with 46 goals and 64 points. This extraordinary output by a rookie led to his selection as the 1980-1981 MISL Rookie of the Year. He remained with the Steamers into the 1986-1987 season. That year, the Steamers began poorly and head coach Pat McBride
Pat mcbride
Patrick "Pat" McBride is a retired American soccer midfielder and indoor soccer coach. He earned five caps with the U.S. national team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame....
was fired to be replaced by Tony Glavin
Tony Glavin
Tony Glavin is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder in both Scotland and the United States, making over 300 career appearances. He is currently Head Coach of the St...
. Glavin promptly traded Ebert to the Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers were a soccer team based out of Los Angeles that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1982 to 1989.-History:Major Indoor Soccer League awarded a Los Angeles franchise to Jerry Buss on June 24, 1982. Buss had purchased the Philadelphia Fever and wanted to move it to...
where Ebert finished his career.
International career
Ebert was selected for the 1979 Pan American Games1979 Pan American Games
The 8th Pan American Games were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 1 to July 15, 1979. The capital of Puerto Rico played host to 3,700 athletes from 34 countries competing in 22 sports, making the VIII Pan American Games the largest to date. Security was a concern due to turmoil over the...
held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. Ebert made an immediate splash in the Pan American Games
Football at the 1979 Pan American Games
The eighth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 2 to July 14, 1979. Nine teams competed in a first round-robin competition, with Brazil defending the title...
when he scored four goals in a 6-0 victory over the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic national football team
The Dominican Republic national football team is the national team of Dominican Republic and is controlled by the Dominican Football Federation. Football is not the most popular sport in the country, losing out to baseball by a large margin...
. He was the captain of the U.S. team which qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. During qualification for the Olympic games the United States easily qualified as Ebert scored three goals in four games. Unfortunately for the Americans, President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
chose to boycott the games after the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
invaded Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Coaching
After retiring from soccer, Ebert became a youth soccer coach. He is Club Head Coach and Director of Coaching for the Strikers FCStrikers FC
Strikers FC is a top youth soccer academy team based in Irvine, California. Founded in 1987, the team plays in the nationwide United States Soccer Development Academy league, the top youth league in the country....
. From 2001 to 2008 Don turned the Concordia University Irvine Soccer program into a NAIA powerhouse. Leaving in 2008 with a lifetime record of 111 wins - 50 losses - 7 ties.
Other ventures
Ebert has been the Director of Marketing and Operations for Forum Boxing, Inc. He was also the President and general managerGeneral manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the defunct indoor club Anaheim Splash
Anaheim Splash
The Anaheim Splash was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League . It was founded in 1992 as the Los Angeles United, but was sold after the season. The new ownership moved the team to Anaheim, California and renamed it the Anaheim Splash...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
during the 1997-1998 season.