Guillermo Jara
Encyclopedia
Guillermo Jara was a U.S. soccer forward
who played four seasons in Major League Soccer
.
, attending Christian Brothers High School
where he was a 1991 Parade Magazine High School All American. Jara also played club soccer with the Tri-Valley Soccer Club. He then played four years of collegiate soccer at University of San Diego
, from 1992 to 1995. He was the Soccer America Magazine
Freshman of the Year when he finished second in the nation in assists and tied for third in the points list. He holds the school records for both goals and assists with 51 and 48 respectively. His senior year, he was the 1995 West Coast Conference Player of the Year and a third team All American.
selected Jara in the first round (7th overall) of the 1996 MLS College Draft
. While he played in twenty-one games for the Galaxy in 1996, it was mostly as a late game substitute, amassing only 811 minutes. Consequently, the Galaxy loaned him to the Sacramento Scorpions
of the USISL for several games. Jara saw even more limited time in 1997, a total of only 353 minutes. In 1998, he played one game with the Galaxy before being traded to the Tampa Bay Mutiny
. The Mutiny also used him sparingly, and in July sent him to the MLS Pro-40 team for four games. Jara began the 1999 season in Tampa Bay, but was traded to the Colorado Rapids
on June 14, 1999 in exchange for Steve Trittschuh
. Jara played only six minutes with the Rapids before the team released him on November 24, 1999. In 2000, Jara spent the season with the San Diego Flash
of the USL A-League.
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 played four seasons 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...
.
Youth
Jara grew up in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, attending Christian Brothers High School
Christian Brothers High School (Sacramento, California)
Christian Brothers High School High School is a private, Roman Catholic, college-preparatory high school in Sacramento, California. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento.-Background:...
where he was a 1991 Parade Magazine High School All American. Jara also played club soccer with the Tri-Valley Soccer Club. He then played four years of collegiate soccer at University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
, from 1992 to 1995. He was the Soccer America Magazine
Soccer America Magazine
Soccer America Magazine is a national American magazine devoted to soccer founded in the early 1970s and is still being published. Its primary focus is soccer in the United States, but it also covers the international game extensively. It was begun by publisher Clay Berling during a period of...
Freshman of the Year when he finished second in the nation in assists and tied for third in the points list. He holds the school records for both goals and assists with 51 and 48 respectively. His senior year, he was the 1995 West Coast Conference Player of the Year and a third team All American.
U-23 national team
Jara earned five caps with the United States U-23 men's national soccer team in 1994 and 1995. However, he never played for the senior national team.Professional
In February 1996, the Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, 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, and the league's second...
selected Jara in the first round (7th overall) of the 1996 MLS College Draft
1996 MLS College Draft
-History:As Major League Soccer prepared for its first season, the league began stocking teams with players. As the teams were being created at the same time, the league adopted a measured approach to building rosters. First, the league allocated four "big name" players to each team. Then on...
. While he played in twenty-one games for the Galaxy in 1996, it was mostly as a late game substitute, amassing only 811 minutes. Consequently, the Galaxy loaned him to the Sacramento Scorpions
Sacramento Scorpions
The Sacramento Scorpions were an American soccer team that played in Sacramento, California.-Year-by-year:...
of the USISL for several games. Jara saw even more limited time in 1997, a total of only 353 minutes. In 1998, he played one game with the Galaxy before being traded to the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
. The Mutiny also used him sparingly, and in July sent him to the MLS Pro-40 team for four games. Jara began the 1999 season in Tampa Bay, but was traded to 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...
on June 14, 1999 in exchange for Steve Trittschuh
Steve Trittschuh
Stephen "Steve" Trittschuh is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League and Major League Soccer...
. Jara played only six minutes with the Rapids before the team released him on November 24, 1999. In 2000, Jara spent the season with the San Diego Flash
San Diego Flash
San Diego Flash is an American soccer team based in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1998, the team returned to competitive play in 2011 when it made its debut in the Southwest Flight of the West Division of the National Premier Soccer League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer...
of the USL A-League.