| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rosario Ongaro | ||
| Date of birth | September 9, 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | ||
| Playing position | Forward / Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1980-1981 | Edmonton Drillers | 35 | (1) |
| 1980-1981 | Edmonton Drillers (indoor) | 27 | (11) |
| 1981-1983 | Cleveland Force (indoor) | 24 | (6) |
| 1983 | Edmonton Eagles | ||
| 1983-1984 | Memphis Americans (indoor) | 17 | (7) |
| 1984-1986 | Milwaukee Wave (indoor) | 39 | (40) |
| 1985-1987 | Edmonton Brickmen | ||
| National team | |||
| 1979 | Canada U-20 | 1 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1984-1985 | Milwaukee Wave (assistant) | ||
| 1985-1987 | Edmonton Brickmen (assistant) | ||
| 1990 | Edmonton Brickmen | ||
| 1996-2000 | Edmonton Drillers | ||
| 2004 | Edmonton F.C. | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Ross Ongaro (born September 9, 1959, in Edmonton, Alberta) is a retired Canadian soccer player who earned one cap each with the Canada U-20 men's national soccer team and Canadian Olympic soccer team. He played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, Western Soccer Alliance and American Indoor Soccer Association. He has coached extensively at the professional level and was the head coach of the Canadian Beach Soccer and Futsal Teams until September 2011. He has been hired by the Chinese Football Association to become their National Beach Soccer Head Coach.
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Iin 1980, Ongaro signed with the Edmonton Drillers in the North American Soccer League (NASL). In the fall of 1981, he moved to the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League where he played two seasons. In the summer of 1983, he played for the Edmonton Eagles]] of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. The Eagles went undefeated, winning the CPSL championship as Ongaro led the league in scoring. In the fall of 1983, he joined the Memphis Americans for the 1983-1984 MISL season. In the fall of 1984, he joined the Milwaukee Wave of the American Indoor Soccer Association where he served as both an assistant coach and player. He was the league's fourth leading goal scorer and finished second on the points list during 1985-1986.[1] In 1986, he played for the Edmonton Brickmen in the Western Soccer Alliance.[2]
In 1979, Ongaro played one game with the Canada U-20 men's national soccer team. He was on the roster of the team at the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship but did not play a game in the tournament.[3] Ongaro also played one Olympic qualifying match in 1979.
His coaching experience began as a Player - Assistant Coach with the Edmonton Brickmen (WSA/CSL) from 1985 to 1987. In 1990, he spent one season as head coach of the Brickmen. In 1996, the Chicago Power of the National Professional Soccer League came under new ownership which moved the team to Edmonton. The team was renamed the Edmonton Drillers and hired Ongaro as head coach.[4] He was the 1997 and 1999 NPSL Coach of the Year.[5][6] In 2004, he coached the Edmonton F.C. of the USL A-League.[7]
On August 14, 2003, Ongaro was named by the Canadian Soccer Association as head coach for the Canadian National Futsal team..[8] Prior to the hiring, he did not possess futsal experience neither as a player or coach. The first series of games under his tenure was a two-legged tie vs Panama, with the winner moving on to the CONCACAF Futsal Final Round. Panama defeated Canada 11:6 on aggregate (5-4, 1-7).[9]. Ongaro is now joining the Chinese Football Association as Head Coach of their Beach Soccer Team.