Chris Cissell

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Chris Cissell
Personal information
Date of birth May 6, 1972 (1972-05-06) (age 36)
Place of birth    Flag of the United States Dallas, Texas, USA
Playing position Midfielder, Coach
Youth clubs
Parkway West High School
William Jewell College
Teams managed
1999-
2002-
William Jewell College-women
William Jewell College-men


* Appearances (Goals)

Chris Cissell is an American soccer coach born May 6, 1972 in Dallas, Texas, United States. He is the current Head Coach of the men's and women's soccer teams at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. Cissell is also the Youth Director of the Kansas City Wizards (MLS) Juniors.

In 2003 Cissell guided the WJC women's soccer team to the NAIA National Final Four (his fifth year as the WJC women's head coach). In 2006 Cissell guided the WJC men's soccer team to the NAIA National Final Four (his fifth year as the WJC men's head coach). In 2006 Cissell was named NSCAA/adidas NAIA men's soccer National Coach of the Year.

Chris Cissell has been involved in competitive soccer since age 8 and involved as a coach in the Kansas City club soccer scene since his sophomore year of college (1991). Originally from St. Louis, Cissell played club soccer for the legendary Pat McBride. In high school, he was co-captain with Brian Kamler who went on to play in MLS for 10 seasons. He also played against former Kansas City Wizards midfielders Matt McKeon and Mike Sorber and current MLS and U.S. National Team star winger Steve Ralston. Guiding the William Jewell College women's program since 1999 and the men's program since 2002, Cissell has established himself as one of the most versatile and decorated coaches in the nation. In a short amount of time he has led the women's program to three women's NAIA National Tournament appearances (2003, 2004, 2005) and two men's NAIA National Tournament appearance (2004 & 2006). In addition, Cissell is the only coach in NAIA history to lead both a women's team (2003) and men's team (2006) to a NAIA National Tournament Final Four appearance. Since Cissell's arrival, William Jewell College soccer programs have become staples in the NSCAA National Rankings and regularly produce All Americans and nationally recognized scholar athletes.

A standout player at William Jewell College (1990-94), Cissell has also become a well-recognized coach earning the Heart of America Conference Women's Coach of the Year honor four times (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005) as well as NAIA Region V Women's Coach of the Year award in 2003 as well as NSCAA/adidas Midwest Coach of the Year in 2003. In addition, Coach Cissell earned the Heart of America Conference Men's Coach of the Year honor in 2003 & 2006 and was the recipient of the NAIA Region V Men's Coach of the Year honor in 2006 and the NSCAA/adidas Central Region Coach of the Year in 2006. At the 2006 National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention in Indianapolis, Indiana; Coach Cissell was honored as the 2006 NSCAA/adidas NAIA Men's National Coach of the Year.

A graduate of William Jewell College in 1994, Cissell has a USSF National Coaching License and is a member of various coaching associations including the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), United States Soccer Coaches Organization and the United States Youth Soccer Coaches Connection. He has also served as the chairman of the NAIA Region V Men's Soccer Committee and is currently the chairman of the NAIA Region V Women's Soccer Committee.