Steve Jolley
Encyclopedia
Steve Jolley is a retired American
soccer defender
, who spent ten seasons in Major League Soccer
and one in the USL Premier Development League
.
Jolley led Kempsville High School to back-to-back Virginia state championships. After playing college soccer
at College of William and Mary
, Jolley was drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy
with the ninth overall pick of the 1997 MLS College Draft
. He spent the next three years in Los Angeles, switching from the midfield into defense as time went on. The lowlight of his Galaxy career came in the 1999 MLS Cup
, when Jolley had to come into the game just nine minutes from the start for the injured Robin Fraser
. He was subsequently burned on a D.C. United
goal as Los Angeles lost 2-0. Jolley scored four goals during his time with the Galaxy.
He was traded to the MetroStars
for a second-round draft pick after playing just four minutes for the Galaxy in 2000. He combined with Mike Petke
and Daniel Hernandez on an excellent three-man backline that helped the Metros rise in the MLS standings. Jolley would play every possible Metro minute of the 2000 and 2001 seasons. He finished his Metro career in 2003 with 104 league games and 129 in all competitions (both numbers third in team history), seven goals (eight in all competitions) and six assists. He also became prominent in the community and earned MLS Humanitarian of the Year
honors in 2002 in part for his effort for 9/11
related charities.
Jolley was traded to the then-Dallas Burn
before the 2004 season for Tenywa Bonseu
. He became a regular for Dallas, scoring one goal and starting almost every game, but also had a dubious distinction of scoring two own goal
s in one game (thankfully for Jolley, only one of those was attributed to him). After losing his starting job with the club in 2005, he was traded back to the MetroStars before the 2006 season. At the end of the year, he was waived by the team, which had become known as New York Red Bulls.
After a brief retirement from soccer, he returned in 2007 to play for the Long Island Rough Riders
in the USL Premier Development League
.
Jolley now works as an analyst on FC Dallas
local television broadcasts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, who spent ten seasons in Major League Soccer
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 one in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Jolley led Kempsville High School to back-to-back Virginia state championships. After playing college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
, Jolley was drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, 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, and the league's second...
with the ninth overall pick of the 1997 MLS College Draft
1997 MLS College Draft
The 1997 Major League Soccer College Draft.On February 1 and 2, 1997, Major League Soccer held its second annual college draft in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The draft was held in conjunction with the Umbro Select College All-Star Classic. The game was played on Saturday, February 1, 1997 at...
. He spent the next three years in Los Angeles, switching from the midfield into defense as time went on. The lowlight of his Galaxy career came in the 1999 MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
, when Jolley had to come into the game just nine minutes from the start for the injured Robin Fraser
Robin Fraser
Robin Fraser is a retired Jamaican-born American soccer player. He is currently head coach of Chivas USA in Major League Soccer....
. He was subsequently burned on a D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. 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 since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
goal as Los Angeles lost 2-0. Jolley scored four goals during his time with the Galaxy.
He was traded to the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
for a second-round draft pick after playing just four minutes for the Galaxy in 2000. He combined with Mike Petke
Mike Petke
Mike Petke is a former American soccer player who is now an assistant coach with New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-College:...
and Daniel Hernandez on an excellent three-man backline that helped the Metros rise in the MLS standings. Jolley would play every possible Metro minute of the 2000 and 2001 seasons. He finished his Metro career in 2003 with 104 league games and 129 in all competitions (both numbers third in team history), seven goals (eight in all competitions) and six assists. He also became prominent in the community and earned MLS Humanitarian of the Year
MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award
The MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award, also known as the MLS W.O.R.K.S Humanitarian of the Year Award, is given to a Major League Soccer player who exemplifies both skill on the field and service within the community...
honors in 2002 in part for his effort for 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
related charities.
Jolley was traded to the then-Dallas Burn
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...
before the 2004 season for Tenywa Bonseu
Tenywa Bonseu
Tenywa "T-Bone" Bonseu is a Ugandan footballer, currently without a club.-Amateur and college:Bonseu began his career playing for Horizon FC in his native Uganda, before coming to the United States in 1997 to attend and play college soccer for Martin Methodist College in rural...
. He became a regular for Dallas, scoring one goal and starting almost every game, but also had a dubious distinction of scoring two own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
s in one game (thankfully for Jolley, only one of those was attributed to him). After losing his starting job with the club in 2005, he was traded back to the MetroStars before the 2006 season. At the end of the year, he was waived by the team, which had become known as New York Red Bulls.
After a brief retirement from soccer, he returned in 2007 to play for the Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders is an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its...
in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Jolley now works as an analyst on 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...
local television broadcasts.