Kazbek Tambi
Encyclopedia
Kazbek Tambi is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder
who currently coaches the Seton Hall University
women's soccer team and the United States U-17 women's soccer team. He spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League
, four in the Major Indoor Soccer League
and one in the American Soccer League
. He was also a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team at the 1984 Summer Olympics
.
and attended Ridgewood High School
in Ridgewood, New Jersey
, graduating in 1979. He was a four year starter on the school's soccer team, earning All State his senior year. After graduating from high school, he attended Columbia University
from 1979 to 1983 where he played on the men’s soccer team. He was the team captain and was part of the team which reached the 1983 Final Four. He graduated from Columbia with a bachelor’s degree
in economics
in 1983.
. In 1984, he was a member of the U.S. team
at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles. He was originally named as an alternate to the team, but earned a roster spot when Dan Canter
was injured just before the tournament.
of the North American Soccer League
drafted Tambi and he signed with the team on October 15, 1984. At the end of that season, the league folded and the Cosmos moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League
. However, they were unable to complete the 1984-1985 MISL season before folding. On September 17, 1985, Tambi signed with the Minnesota Strikers
of MISL. On September 5, 1986, the Strikers released Tambi. He then signed with the New York Express
in November. The Express released him on January 3, 1987. Tambi began law school in 1987, but returned to soccer in the spring of 1988 when he signed with the New Jersey Eagles
of the American Soccer League
.
In 1998, Seton Hall University
hired Tambi as an assistant coach to the men’s soccer team. Tambi would remain in that position through the 2006 season. On January 25, 2007, Seton Hall announced Tambi would become the head coach of the women’s soccer team. Tambi completed his law degree from Seton Hall in 1990. He practices law in addition to his coaching duties.
Tambi has also coached at the professional level, spending three seasons (2002-2005) with the defunct New Jersey Stallions
women’s team which competed in the W-League
. In June 2005, the U.S. Soccer Federation hired Tambi as the coach for the U.S. U-16 girls national team.
In 2004, Ridgewood High School
inducted Tambi into its Athletic Hall of Fame. Tambi has been a resident of Paramus, New Jersey
.
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...
who currently coaches the Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
women's soccer team and the United States U-17 women's soccer team. He spent two seasons in 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:...
, four in the 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...
and one in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. He was also a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
.
Youth
Tambi was born in Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
and attended Ridgewood High School
Ridgewood High School (New Jersey)
Ridgewood High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students from Ridgewood, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ridgewood Public Schools....
in Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
, graduating in 1979. He was a four year starter on the school's soccer team, earning All State his senior year. After graduating from high school, he attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
from 1979 to 1983 where he played on the men’s soccer team. He was the team captain and was part of the team which reached the 1983 Final Four. He graduated from Columbia with a bachelor’s degree
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in 1983.
National team
In 1983, Tambi was the captain of the U.S. team at the 1983 Pan American gamesFootball at the 1983 Pan American Games
The ninth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela, from August 15 to August 27, 1983. Ten teams competed in a first round-robin competition, with Brazil defending the title. After the preliminary round there was a final round.-Group A:-Group...
. In 1984, he was a member of the U.S. team
United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics
The United States was the host nation of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. It was the nineteenth time that Team USA participated, having boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics...
at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles. He was originally named as an alternate to the team, but earned a roster spot when Dan Canter
Dan Canter
Dan Canter is a retired U.S. soccer defender. He played three seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned twenty-nine caps with the U.S. national team, scoring two goals, between 1983 and 1985....
was injured just before the tournament.
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:...
drafted Tambi and he signed with the team on October 15, 1984. At the end of that season, the league folded and the Cosmos moved to the 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...
. However, they were unable to complete the 1984-1985 MISL season before folding. On September 17, 1985, Tambi signed with the Minnesota Strikers
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers was an American professional soccer team located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The team played one season in the North American Soccer League and 4 seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
of MISL. On September 5, 1986, the Strikers released Tambi. He then signed with the New York Express
New York Express
This article is about the former indoor soccer team.The New York Express were a soccer team based out of Uniondale, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played only one season, the 1986-1987 season. Their home arena was Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum...
in November. The Express released him on January 3, 1987. Tambi began law school in 1987, but returned to soccer in the spring of 1988 when he signed with the New Jersey Eagles
New Jersey Eagles
The New Jersey Eagles were an American soccer team founded in 1987 as the Cosmopolitan Eagles. In 1988, they entered the third American Soccer League as the New Jersey Eagles. They folded following the 1990 American Professional Soccer League season....
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
.
Coach
Since retiring from playing professionally, Tambi has coached extensively at the club, collegiate, professional and national team levels. On the club level, Tambi has served as the head coach of Arsenal World Class. He has spent time with both girls and boys team associated with the club.In 1998, Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
hired Tambi as an assistant coach to the men’s soccer team. Tambi would remain in that position through the 2006 season. On January 25, 2007, Seton Hall announced Tambi would become the head coach of the women’s soccer team. Tambi completed his law degree from Seton Hall in 1990. He practices law in addition to his coaching duties.
Tambi has also coached at the professional level, spending three seasons (2002-2005) with the defunct New Jersey Stallions
New Jersey Stallions
The New Jersey Stallions were an American soccer team, founded in 1996, which competed in various divisions of the United Soccer Leagues until 2004, after which the team left the league and the franchise was terminated....
women’s team which competed in the W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
. In June 2005, the U.S. Soccer Federation hired Tambi as the coach for the U.S. U-16 girls national team.
In 2004, Ridgewood High School
Ridgewood High School (New Jersey)
Ridgewood High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school serving students from Ridgewood, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ridgewood Public Schools....
inducted Tambi into its Athletic Hall of Fame. Tambi has been a resident of Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
.