Sasha Gotsmanov
Encyclopedia
Sasha Gotsmanov is an America
n-Belarusian soccer player, who spent one season in the MLS
and two in the USL First Division
.
Sasha was born into a soccer family. His father, Sergey Gotsmanov
was a member of the Soviet Union national football team that were runners-up for the 1988 European Football Championship. His mother, Olga, was the Belarusian national gymnastics coach. When Sasha was 15 his family moved from Belarus to Minnesota
, so that Sergei could play for the Minnesota Thunder
. Meanwhile, Sasha became a star player at the high school level.
In 2001 he enrolled under scholarship at the University of Rhode Island
where he would play soccer for the next four years. During his time with Rhode Island he played in 82 games, scored 35 goals and assisted on 19. He was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year in 2004.
On 8 April 2005 he signed with the Colorado Rapids
as a developmental player. In 2005 he played most of the year with the Rapids Reserve team and was named the Reserves Most Valuable Player. He earned his lone MLS appearance on October 12 against Real Salt Lake
. In the beginning of June 2006 he was loaned to the Minnesota Thunder
but returned to the Rapids in July. At the end of the season, Gotsmanov was waived by the team. For the 2007 season, he signed up with the Thunder again, this time on a permanent deal.
He has a younger brother, Andrei
, who actually (August 2010) plays for the NSC Minnesota Stars
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n-Belarusian soccer player, who spent one season in the MLS
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...
and two in the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
.
Sasha was born into a soccer family. His father, Sergey Gotsmanov
Sergey Gotsmanov
Sergey Anatolyevich Gotsmanov is a former Belarusian footballer who played for the USSR in the 1980s.-Dinamo Minsk:...
was a member of the Soviet Union national football team that were runners-up for the 1988 European Football Championship. His mother, Olga, was the Belarusian national gymnastics coach. When Sasha was 15 his family moved from Belarus to Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, so that Sergei could play for the Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
. Meanwhile, Sasha became a star player at the high school level.
In 2001 he enrolled under scholarship at the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
where he would play soccer for the next four years. During his time with Rhode Island he played in 82 games, scored 35 goals and assisted on 19. He was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year in 2004.
On 8 April 2005 he signed with 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...
as a developmental player. In 2005 he played most of the year with the Rapids Reserve team and was named the Reserves Most Valuable Player. He earned his lone MLS appearance on October 12 against Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
. In the beginning of June 2006 he was loaned to the Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
but returned to the Rapids in July. At the end of the season, Gotsmanov was waived by the team. For the 2007 season, he signed up with the Thunder again, this time on a permanent deal.
He has a younger brother, Andrei
Andrei Gotsmanov
Andrei Gotsmanov is a Belarussian footballer currently playing for NSC Minnesota Stars in the North American Soccer League.-College:...
, who actually (August 2010) plays for the NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.