Carl Strong (born January 21, 1958, in

Annandale, Virginia Annandale () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia.soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

who spent seven seasons in the

North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the ...

. Strong grew up in Virginia where attended

Annandale High School Annandale High School is a State school, public high school in Annandale, Virginia, United States. It is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system. The school's student body has been recognized for its high level of racial and cultural ...

. After graduating from Annandale in 1976, he entered

James Madison University James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public university, public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1908, the institution was renamed in 1938 in honor of the fourth president of the ...

. He was the 1978 Virginia Intercollegiate Player of the Year. Strong began his professional career in 1978 with the expansion

Colorado Caribous The Caribous of Colorado were an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) during the 1978 season. The team was based in Denver, Colorado and played their home games at Mile High Stadium. After the season ...

of the

(NASL). The Caribous moved to Atlanta where the team was renamed the

Atlanta Chiefs The Atlanta Chiefs were an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The team competed in the National Professional Soccer League (1967), National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League ...

between the 1978 and 1979 season. Strong became a regular with the Chiefs, seeing time in twenty-five games in 1979, twenty-eight in 1980 and thirty-two in 1981. The Chiefs folded at the end of the season and on September 22, 1981, the

Portland Timbers The Portland Timbers are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Timbers have p ...

purchased his contract from the Chiefs. In 1982, Strong saw limited action for the Timbers. On October 26, 1982, the

Fort Lauderdale Strikers Fort Lauderdale Strikers may refer to: *Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983), member of North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983 *Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994) The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team establishe ...

selected Strong in the dispersal draft after the Timbers folded. He first appeared as a member of the Strikers in the winter of 1983 during the NASL's Indoor Grand Prix. At about that same time he was also an invitee to the Team America try-outs, but did not make the squad. He saw time in only six outdoor games with the Strikers. However, the Strikers moved to Minnesota before the 1984 season and Strong played in twenty-one games that year. The NASL folded at the end of the 1984 season and Strong moved to the South Florida Sun of the

United Soccer League The United Soccer League (USL) is an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system. It currently organizes its Championship, League One, and League Two for men, its Super League and W Leag ...

. However, he broke his leg during the pre-season. The league collapsed after six games and Strong never saw playing time with the Sun. Strong coached the Pequannock Township High School varsity boys' soccer team in New Jersey for 19 years. He was also a physical education teacher at the high school before retiring. Strong's son, Ben, played college soccer at

Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...

and the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public university, public research university in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. Chartered in 1798 as the Jefferson Seminary, it became in the 19t ...

References

External links

Timbers fan page with photo

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strong, Carl 1958 births Living people American men's soccer players Atlanta Chiefs players Caribous of Colorado players Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983) players James Madison Dukes men's soccer players Men's association football midfielders Minnesota Strikers (NASL) players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players Portland Timbers (1975–1982) players Fort Lauderdale Sun players United Soccer League (1984–85) players People from Annandale, Virginia Soccer players from Fairfax County, Virginia Annandale High School alumni 20th-century American sportsmen