Johnny Stark
Encyclopedia
Johnny Stark was a Canadian-American soccer forward
who spent most of career with indoor soccer
teams. He currently coaches with the FC Dallas
youth club.
Although born in Canada, Stark grew up in Texas
, graduating in 1990 from Sam Houston High School
. 1988, he began playing for the Addison Arrows in the Southwest Independent Soccer League (SISL) during the league’s first outdoor season. At the time, he was the youngest player in the league at age 16. In the summer of 1989, he moved to the San Antonio Heat for the SISL’s indoor season. He was back with the Arrows that fall and remained with the team as it went through a series of moves, mergers and name changes. The team moved to Fort Worth in the spring of 1990 where it spent a single season as the North Texas United. In the fall of 1990, the team merged with the Waco Kickers
and became the Fort Worth Kickers then the Dallas Kickers in 1991. On April 23, 1993, the Dallas Sidekicks
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
selected Stark in the first round (fifth overall) of the CISL Supplemental Draft. He played two seasons in Dallas before being traded to the Houston Hotshots
on August 15, 1994. After retiring from playing, Stark entered coaching, currently working for the FC Dallas youth club.
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 career with indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
teams. He currently coaches with the FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
youth club.
Although born in Canada, Stark grew up in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, graduating in 1990 from Sam Houston High School
Sam Houston High School (Arlington, Texas)
Sam Houston High School is a secondary school serving grades 9-12 students who live in the eastern part of Arlington, Texas and the western part of Grand Prairie, Texas. It is part of the Arlington Independent School District, in Arlington, Texas...
. 1988, he began playing for the Addison Arrows in the Southwest Independent Soccer League (SISL) during the league’s first outdoor season. At the time, he was the youngest player in the league at age 16. In the summer of 1989, he moved to the San Antonio Heat for the SISL’s indoor season. He was back with the Arrows that fall and remained with the team as it went through a series of moves, mergers and name changes. The team moved to Fort Worth in the spring of 1990 where it spent a single season as the North Texas United. In the fall of 1990, the team merged with the Waco Kickers
Waco Kickers
The Waco Kickers were a soccer club based in Waco, Texas that competed in the SISL. Following the 1990 outdoor season, the merged into North Texas United.-Year-by-year:...
and became the Fort Worth Kickers then the Dallas Kickers in 1991. On April 23, 1993, the Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
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...
selected Stark in the first round (fifth overall) of the CISL Supplemental Draft. He played two seasons in Dallas before being traded to the Houston Hotshots
Houston Hotshots
The Houston Hotshots were a professional indoor soccer team in Houston, Texas. They played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1994 to 1997, and moved to the World Indoor Soccer League in 1999 after the CISL folded...
on August 15, 1994. After retiring from playing, Stark entered coaching, currently working for the FC Dallas youth club.