Joe Waters
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe" Waters is an Irish former professional footballer who played professionally in England and the United States. He lives in the United States where he coaches youth football teams.
, Ireland
where he was an outstanding athlete with the Limerick Athletic Club. He played gaelic football
with the Old Christians GAA Club
and hurling
with CBS Sexton Street. Waters began his soccer career with the Wembley Rovers. He also briefly played for the Pike Rovers before returning to Wembley. In April 1969, Waters joined Leicester City F.C.
In December 1973, he signed a professional contract with Leicester City, but had difficulty cracking the first team. In 1976, he went on loan to fourth division Grimsby Town. He had immediate success with the team which led Grimsby Town to raise the possibility of a transfer. The price of £10,000 too high for the team, so fans contributed £2,000. Waters had an extensive career, playing for them until 1984. He also scored five goals in twenty FA Cup
games for the Mariners. In 1984, Waters moved to the United States and joined the Tacoma Stars
of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The move brought a change of position to defender and a rejuvenation of his career. In 1987, he led the Stars to the MISL finals for the first time in the team's history. He retired in 1992.
teams. On 13 October 1977, he made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland national football team
in a friendly match against Turkey
in Ankara
. He scored the equaliser ten minutes from time in the 3-3 draw. His other full international cap came three years later when he replaced Gerry Daly
as a second half substitute in a 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland on 21 November 1979 in Belfast.
boys' soccer team. He took the team to the 2004 and 2008 state championships. In 1994, Gig Harbor High School
hired him to coach their girls' soccer team. In 1998, Waters was hired as heach coach of the Pacific Lutheran University
men's soccer team. Over his four seasons as head coach, he compiled a 25-39-6 record. In 2003, he became the Bellarmine Prep School girls' soccer coach, in addition to his duties with the boys' team, taking the girls to the 2004 state championship.
Club
Waters grew up in LimerickLimerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
where he was an outstanding athlete with the Limerick Athletic Club. He played gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with the Old Christians GAA Club
Old Christians GAA Club
Old Christians GAA was formed in Limerick, Ireland in 1962 for the development of the games of Hurling and Gaelic Football in the Southern part of the city. In the first year of competition the Club won the Senior County Football Championship...
and hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with CBS Sexton Street. Waters began his soccer career with the Wembley Rovers. He also briefly played for the Pike Rovers before returning to Wembley. In April 1969, Waters joined Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
In December 1973, he signed a professional contract with Leicester City, but had difficulty cracking the first team. In 1976, he went on loan to fourth division Grimsby Town. He had immediate success with the team which led Grimsby Town to raise the possibility of a transfer. The price of £10,000 too high for the team, so fans contributed £2,000. Waters had an extensive career, playing for them until 1984. He also scored five goals in twenty FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
games for the Mariners. In 1984, Waters moved to the United States and joined the Tacoma Stars
Tacoma Stars
The Tacoma Stars were a franchise in the original Major Indoor Soccer League. The team existed from 1983 - 1992 and is notable for two reasons. First, the team holds the record for the largest crowd to witness an indoor soccer game with 21,728 people packing the Tacoma Dome to see Tacoma fall to...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The move brought a change of position to defender and a rejuvenation of his career. In 1987, he led the Stars to the MISL finals for the first time in the team's history. He retired in 1992.
International
Waters played for the Republic of Ireland U15 and U-18Republic of Ireland national under-19 football team
The Republic of Ireland national under-19 football team, is the national under-19 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland and competes in the biennial European Under-19 Football Championship....
teams. On 13 October 1977, he made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland national football team
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
in a friendly match against Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
. He scored the equaliser ten minutes from time in the 3-3 draw. His other full international cap came three years later when he replaced Gerry Daly
Gerry Daly
Gerard Anthony Daly was an Irish football player.Daly started his football career in Drumcondra with the famous schoolboy nursery Stella Maris...
as a second half substitute in a 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland on 21 November 1979 in Belfast.
Coach
During his last few seasons with the Tacoma Stars, Waters served as an assistant coach. In 1992, he became the head coach of the Bellarmine Preparatory SchoolBellarmine Preparatory School
Bellarmine Preparatory School is a Roman Catholic high school in the Jesuit tradition in Tacoma, Washington, USA. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. Today it serves just over 1,000 students from the Greater Tacoma area....
boys' soccer team. He took the team to the 2004 and 2008 state championships. In 1994, Gig Harbor High School
Gig Harbor High School
Gig Harbor High School is a public high school in the Peninsula School District located in Gig Harbor, Washington.It was created in the summer of 1978 and originally was a 2A school, but is presently 4A...
hired him to coach their girls' soccer team. In 1998, Waters was hired as heach coach of the Pacific Lutheran University
Pacific Lutheran University
Pacific Lutheran University is located in Parkland, a suburb of Tacoma, Washington. In September 2009, PLU had a student population of 3,582 and approximately 280 full-time faculty...
men's soccer team. Over his four seasons as head coach, he compiled a 25-39-6 record. In 2003, he became the Bellarmine Prep School girls' soccer coach, in addition to his duties with the boys' team, taking the girls to the 2004 state championship.