Gregg Thompson

Gregg Thompson (born May 29, 1961) is a retired U.S. soccer defender who was the 1983 North American Soccer League Rookie of the Year. He spent two seasons in the NASL and four in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1984 Summer Olympics and earned twelve caps with the U.S. national team

High school and college

Thompson spent his early youth in California before moving Stillwater, Minnesota when he was fourteen. He became a star athlete at Stillwater High School. The school did not have a soccer team, so Thompson played football and ran track while playing soccer with local youth clubs. He was an outstanding running back, averaging 8.9 yards per carry over his high school career. He earned All State honors and received football athletic scholarship offers from the University of Colorado, University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was also went to the state finals in track his senior year. While he was an excellent football player, he preferred soccer and chose to attend the Indiana University when that school offered him an athletic scholarship to play soccer.^[1] Thompson was the Minnesota High School Athlete of the Year when he graduated from Stillwater in 1978.

Thompson joined the Hoosiers in 1978. He did not play in 1979, but became a regular through the 1980–1982 seasons. In 1982, he captained Indiana as it ran to the NCAA championship game. In that game, Indiana went up against Duke University and its top defenseman Joe Ulrich. Thompson scored the first goal, but Duke replied and the game ended tied at one all. The game was in its eighth overtime when Ulrich fouled Thompson just outside the box. Thompson replied with a swerving free kick which found the net, giving Indiana its first national title. Thompson would come in second in the balloting for the Hermann Trophy that year, losing to Ulrich.

Professional

The Los Angeles Lazers of Major Indoor Soccer League selected Thompson with the number one selection in the 1983 MISL Draft. Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League selected Thompson with the first pick in the 1983 NASL college draft. He elected to sign with the Rowdies and was named the 1983 NASL Rookie of the Year after playing thirty games. Following the 1984 NASL season, the league collapsed. After the collapse of the NASL, the Rowdies traded Thompson to the Minnesota Strikers of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He remained with the Strikers through the 1987–1988 MISL season before retiring.

National and Olympic teams

At the end of the 1983 NASL season, Thompson joined the U.S. Olympic team as it prepared for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Thompson played all three games for the U.S. at the Olympics, including scoring the U.S. goal in its 1–1 tie with Egypt. The U.S. finished the first round at 1–1–1 and failed to qualify for the second round.^[2]

Even before the Olympic games, Thomspon had earned his first cap with the U.S. national team in a May 20, 1984 scoreless tie with Italy. He would go on to play a total of 12 times for the full national team between 1984 and 1985, including several qualification matches for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. His last national team game came in the May 31, 1985 debacle in Torrance, California when the U.S. lost to Costa Rica. That loss cost the U.S. a spot in the final round of qualifications.^[3]

Post-playing career

Thompson is a partner in a real estate group and coaches youth soccer. He also runs a soccer camp called The Edge.

References

External links

• NASL/MISL stats

United States squad – 1984 Summer Olympics 1 Brcic 2 Savage 3 Thompson 4 Durgan 5 Tambi 6 DiBernardo 7 Kapp 8 Borja 9 Moyers 10 Davis 11 Pérez 12 Crow 13 Willrich 14 Fox 15 Swanner 16 Hooker 17 Aly Coach: Panagoulias