Glenn Myernick
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Glenn "Mooch" Myernick (December 29, 1954 – October 9, 2006) was an American soccer player and coach of several teams from 1993 to 2006.
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[edit] High School
Myernick played boy's soccer at Lawrence High School in New Jersey, from which he graduated in 1972. He was All-State as a forward in 1971 and as a defender in 1972. Beginning his freshman year, he led Lawrence to three straight Group 2 state titles.
[edit] NASL playing career
- Dallas Tornado (1977-1979)
- Portland Timbers (1980-1982)
- Tampa Bay Rowdies (1983-1984)
[edit] National Team
Before formally joining U.S. Soccer in 1993, Myernick was an active player in the North American Soccer League and the U.S. Men's National Team. Myernick earned 10 caps for the U.S., serving as team captain in 1978. He also started 4 games for the U.S. Olympic soccer team during Olympic qualifying in 1976.[1]
[edit] Coaching
As a head coach, Myernick served the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer from 1997 to 2000 and the U.S. under-23 Men's National Team in 2003. Myernick was the US Men's Senior National Team assistant coach at the time of his death.
After serving as an assistant coach on the 1996 U.S. Men's Olympic soccer team, Myernick was hired in 2002 to serve as an assistant coach on the Men's National Team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. After the highly successful Quarterfinal run made by the United States, Myernick coached the U.S. Men's U-23 Soccer team as they attempted (unsuccessfully) to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Tournament. He continued serving the U.S. Men's National Team through the 2005 Gold Cup (notably - managing the team during the championship game, when head coach Bruce Arena had been suspended for the final) and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[2] Myernick was also the organizer of the Colorado Rapids youth soccer clinic from 1997 through 2000 at the Rapids traning facility in Westminster, Colorado.
Glenn "Mooch" Myernick passed away in Thornton, Colorado on Monday, October 9, 2006, four days after suffering a heart attack during his morning jog on Thursday, October 5, 2006, never having regained consciousness.[3] U.S. Soccer officials, including President Sunil Gulati and former Men's National Team manager Bruce Arena, paid homage to Myernick and praised his invaluable contributions to soccer in the United States. Myernick was acclaimed as an enthusiastic coach, player, father, and friend.
