Keith Tozer
Encyclopedia
Keith Tozer is a retired American soccer player who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League
and American Indoor Soccer Association. He currently coaches the Milwaukee Wave
of Major Indoor Soccer League.
from 1975 to 1979, where he played as a forward
on the men’s soccer team. He finished his four seasons at Oneonta with the school’s all time points record of 117 off 50 goals and 17 assists. In 2002, Oneonta State inducted Tozer into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
selected Tozer as the league’s first draft pick. He played a single season with the Kids, as the team folded at the end of the 1978–1979 season. When the Kids folded, Tozer moved outdoors to the Pennsylvania Stoners
for the 1979 American Soccer League
season. The Stoners made it to the league’s playoff semifinals before being eliminated by the Columbus Magic
. Tozer moved back to the MISL where he played for the Hartford Hellions
for two seasons. At the end of the 1980–1981 season, Hartford moved to Memphis. Tozer did not move with the team, but joined the Pittsburgh Spirit
. Tozer spent the next three seasons with the Spirit. While with the Spirit, Tozer spent time assisting with a summer soccer camp. That experience gave Tozer a taste for coaching which he would use in later years. In 1984, Tozer left both the Spirit and MISL when he moved to the Louisville Thunder
of the American Indoor Soccer Association AISA). The AISA was formed in March 1984 as a rival to MISL. Tozer played nearly 100 games with the Thunder over three seasons, but more significantly, he was the team’s head coach. In his first two seasons with the Thunder, Tozer saw his team fall in the championship series to the Canton Invaders
. In his third season with the team, Tozer and the Thunder finally mastered the Invaders, winning their first AISA championship. Tozer left the Thunder in 1987 to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lazers
(MISL), having coached the Thunder to a 70-37 record, three championship series and one AISA title.
. When Tozer left the team at the end of the 1991–1992 season, he had led the team to a 74-46 record.
Tozer joined the Milwaukee Wave
in 1992 and continues to coach the team today. In 1997–1998 he took the Wave to their first NPSL championship, and since then Tozer and the Wave won the NPSL title two more times, in 1999–2000 and 2000–2001. In 2001, the NPSL became the second incarnation of Major Indoor Soccer League. Tozer and the Wave continued their winning way, taking the MISL championship in 2004–2005.
Tozer guided the Wave again to a 15-5 record during the 2010-11 season tied with the Baltimore Blast for first place. The Wave beat the Missouri Comets in two games in the semi-finals and then beat the Baltimore Blast 16-7 in Baltimore for the Wave's fifth MISL Championship.
Tozer is currently the winningest professional indoor coach in North American indoor soccer history.
team coach in 1996. He took the U.S. to the 1996 CONCACAF Futsal championship
that year. Despite that success, he remained and interim/assistant coach until 1998 when he was hired as the team’s head coach. That year he took the U.S. to third, its best finish ever, at the 1998 Futsal World Cup
. In 2000, the U.S. took third at the CONCACAF championship before winning the tournament in 2004.http://soccerhalloffame.org/news/FutsalCONCACAF_Gold_812004.htm
Since 1984 Tozer has become one of the most successful coaches in U.S. soccer history, and the all time winningest coach in North America indoor soccer with over 630 wins, five league championships and eight "coach of the year awards." He also owns a motivational company, Teamwork Concepts
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...
and American Indoor Soccer Association. He currently coaches the Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
of Major Indoor Soccer League.
College
Tozer grew up in upstate New York. After graduating from high school, he attended Oneonta StateState University of New York at Oneonta
The State University of New York College at Oneonta is a four-year liberal arts college in Oneonta, New York, United States, with approximately 5,800 students. The College offers many bachelor's degrees and a number of graduate degrees...
from 1975 to 1979, where he played as a forward
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...
on the men’s soccer team. He finished his four seasons at Oneonta with the school’s all time points record of 117 off 50 goals and 17 assists. In 2002, Oneonta State inducted Tozer into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional
In 1978, the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) was preparing for its first season. When they held their first college draft, the Cincinnati KidsCincinnati Kids
The Cincinnati Kids were a soccer team based out of Cincinnati that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League. They played only in the 1978-79 MISL season and were partially owned by Pete Rose. Their home arena was Riverfront Coliseum....
selected Tozer as the league’s first draft pick. He played a single season with the Kids, as the team folded at the end of the 1978–1979 season. When the Kids folded, Tozer moved outdoors to the Pennsylvania Stoners
Pennsylvania Stoners
Pennsylvania Stoners is an American soccer team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2007, the team plays in National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Eastern Keystone Division.The team plays its home...
for the 1979 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...
season. The Stoners made it to the league’s playoff semifinals before being eliminated by the Columbus Magic
Columbus Magic
The Columbus Magic was an American soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio that was a member of the American Soccer League. They played their home games in Franklin County Stadium that they shared with Minor League baseball's Columbus Clippers...
. Tozer moved back to the MISL where he played for the Hartford Hellions
Hartford Hellions
The Hartford Hellions were a soccer team based out of Hartford, Connecticut that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played from 1979 to 1981. The Hellions played their first season in the New Haven Coliseum before moving to the remodelled Hartford Civic Center.In May 1981, Athletes in...
for two seasons. At the end of the 1980–1981 season, Hartford moved to Memphis. Tozer did not move with the team, but joined the Pittsburgh Spirit
Pittsburgh Spirit
Pittsburgh Spirit were an indoor soccer team based out of Pittsburgh and were one of the original six teams that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
. Tozer spent the next three seasons with the Spirit. While with the Spirit, Tozer spent time assisting with a summer soccer camp. That experience gave Tozer a taste for coaching which he would use in later years. In 1984, Tozer left both the Spirit and MISL when he moved to the Louisville Thunder
Louisville Thunder
Louisville Thunder was an indoor soccer club based in Louisville, Kentucky that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association. In their debut season of 1984-1985, goalkeeper Rick Schweizer won the 'Goalkeeper of the Year' award, and made it on to the All-Star team.-Players: Paul DiBernardo ...
of the American Indoor Soccer Association AISA). The AISA was formed in March 1984 as a rival to MISL. Tozer played nearly 100 games with the Thunder over three seasons, but more significantly, he was the team’s head coach. In his first two seasons with the Thunder, Tozer saw his team fall in the championship series to the Canton Invaders
Canton Invaders
The Canton Invaders was an indoor soccer club based in Canton, Ohio that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Columbus Invaders.- Canton Invaders :...
. In his third season with the team, Tozer and the Thunder finally mastered the Invaders, winning their first AISA championship. Tozer left the Thunder in 1987 to become the head coach of 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...
(MISL), having coached the Thunder to a 70-37 record, three championship series and one AISA title.
Professional
In 1987, Tozer became the head coach of the Lazers. Over the next two seasons, Tozer coached the team to a 62-70 record. In 1989 the Lazers folded and Tozer moved back to the AISA where he became a player/coach for the Atlanta Attack. He played only one season with the Attack, 1989–1990. At the end of the season, he retired from playing professionally, becoming a dedicated head coach for the Attack. He remained with the team when it moved to Kansas City in 1991 to become the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) Kansas City AttackKansas City Attack
The Kansas City Attack, previously the Atlanta Attack and later known as the Kansas City Comets, were an indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. In its various incarnations the franchise played in the National Professional Soccer League from 1989–2001 and the...
. When Tozer left the team at the end of the 1991–1992 season, he had led the team to a 74-46 record.
Tozer joined the Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
in 1992 and continues to coach the team today. In 1997–1998 he took the Wave to their first NPSL championship, and since then Tozer and the Wave won the NPSL title two more times, in 1999–2000 and 2000–2001. In 2001, the NPSL became the second incarnation of Major Indoor Soccer League. Tozer and the Wave continued their winning way, taking the MISL championship in 2004–2005.
Tozer guided the Wave again to a 15-5 record during the 2010-11 season tied with the Baltimore Blast for first place. The Wave beat the Missouri Comets in two games in the semi-finals and then beat the Baltimore Blast 16-7 in Baltimore for the Wave's fifth MISL Championship.
Tozer is currently the winningest professional indoor coach in North American indoor soccer history.
Futsal
Tozer’s success as a professional indoor coach has led to his selection as the interim U.S. FutsalFutsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
team coach in 1996. He took the U.S. to the 1996 CONCACAF Futsal championship
North and Central American Futsal Championship
The CONCACAF Futsal Championship is the main national futsal competition of the CONCACAF nations. It was first held in 1996, and it is held every four years.-Results:-Total Wins:-Links:*...
that year. Despite that success, he remained and interim/assistant coach until 1998 when he was hired as the team’s head coach. That year he took the U.S. to third, its best finish ever, at the 1998 Futsal World Cup
Futsal Mundialito
The Futsal Mundialito is a futsal competition of the same kind of the FIFA Futsal World Cup but with invited nations. It was first held in 1994.-Results:...
. In 2000, the U.S. took third at the CONCACAF championship before winning the tournament in 2004.http://soccerhalloffame.org/news/FutsalCONCACAF_Gold_812004.htm
Since 1984 Tozer has become one of the most successful coaches in U.S. soccer history, and the all time winningest coach in North America indoor soccer with over 630 wins, five league championships and eight "coach of the year awards." He also owns a motivational company, Teamwork Concepts