Daryl Doran (born March 29, 1963) is a U.S. former

indoor soccer Indoor soccer or arena soccer is a form of five-a-side football, five-a-side or six-a-side version of minifootball. It is derived from association football and adapted to be played in walled hardcourt indoor arenas. It differs from the FIFA, FIFA ...

player. His 827 games are the most of any player in American professional indoor soccer history. Doran previously coached the St. Louis Ambush in the

Major Arena Soccer League The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a professional indoor soccer league in North America. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. The league is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. The le ...

from 2013 to 2015.

High school and college

Doran grew up in

Saint Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

, where he attended

Christian Brothers College High School Christian Brothers College High School (CBC High School) is a Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, Lasallian Catholic Church, Catholic University-preparatory school, college preparatory school for young men in Town and Country, M ...

from 1977 to 1980. He was a four-year starter with the school's Varsity soccer team, finishing his career with 35 goals and 31 assists. He was named All-State three times and named Parade All-American twice. The local

St. Louis Steamers St. Louis Steamers has been the name of two different indoor soccer franchises based in St. Louis, Missouri: *St. Louis Steamers (1979–88); American soccer team which played in the first Major Indoor Soccer League *St. Louis Steamers (1998–2006 ...

of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) drafted Doran when he was in high school, but he declined the offer, and instead graduated and matriculated at

St. Louis University Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River and one of the oldest ...

. In December 1980, he was also selected by the

Tampa Bay Rowdies The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tie ...

in the second round of 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 ...

draft. The Steamers again drafted Doran during his freshman year of college. This time, he left college and turned professional.
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Playing career

Club

Doran played as a

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 ...

with the St. Louis Steamers until the team folded at the end of the 1987–1988 season. With no professional team in St. Louis, Doran moved to the

Los Angeles Lazers The Los Angeles Lazers were an indoor soccer team that played in the Major Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) from 1982 to 1989. History Jerry Buss, the owner of California Sports, the parent company of the Los Angeles Lakers, Los ...

(MISL) for the 1988–1989 season. However, the Lazers closed down at the end of the season and Doran moved back to St. Louis to sign with the expansion

St. Louis Storm The St. Louis Storm was a soccer team based out of St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992), Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). They played from 1989 to 1992. Their home arena was the St. Louis ...

. When the Storm shut down at the end of the 1991–1992 season, Doran jumped to the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), and signed with the St. Louis Ambush. He spent the next seven seasons with the Ambush as a midfielder, defender, and

Player-coach A player–coach (also playing coach, captain–coach, or player–manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. Player–coaches may be head coaches or assistant coaches, and they may make chang ...

. He was a six-time All-Star, twice a first-team All-NPSL player, and 1997's Defender of the Year. In 1999, Doran surprised St. Louis soccer fans when he left the Ambush for the resurrected

, now playing in the

World Indoor Soccer League The World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) was a United States–based indoor soccer sports league, league that operated from 1998 to 2001 and consisted of nine teams. History After the demise of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, four of its te ...

(WISL). The Ambush folded at the end of the season while the Steamers spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons in the WISL, followed by two more seasons in the new Major Indoor Soccer League. In 2008 Doran signed with the St. Louis Illusion of the

Professional Arena Soccer League The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a professional indoor soccer league in North America. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. The league is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. The le ...

(PASL). Doran was the only player to play for every professional indoor soccer team in St. Louis until the Ambush were resurrected as a

team (though he did coach them). Known for his incredible strength, Doran's personal best in the bench press was 385 pounds.

International

During his single season with the SLU Billikens, Doran was a

United States men's national soccer team The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT), officially recognized as USA by FIFA, represents the United States in men's international Association football, soccer. The team is governed by the United States Soccer Federation, which is ...

member but made no "A" international appearances. In 1999, Doran played two games with the U.S. national

futsal Futsal is a variant of association football played between two teams of five players each on a court smaller than a football pitch. Its rules are based on the Laws of the Game (association football), Laws of the Game of association football, and i ...

team.

Coaching career

In 1992, Doran began coaching the St. Louis Ambush. The 1994–95 Ambush won the NPSL championship and Doran was named league Coach of the Year. In 1999, Doran left the Ambush, replaced as head coach by

Jamie Swanner James Swanner (born January 13, 1961, in St. Louis, Missouri) is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper and current soccer coach. He was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic soccer team and earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1984. He spent ...

. Doran is in second place, behind

Keith Tozer Keith Tozer is a retired American soccer player who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer Association. He is currently the commissioner of the Major Arena Soccer League. Play ...

, on the NPSL list of coaching wins with 166. Doran left coaching after the 2004–2005 season with the Steamers. In April 2006, the Steamers retired his jersey number, the second to be retired after that of

Slobo Ilijevski Slobodan "Slobo" Ilijevski (; October 24, 1949 in Skopje, Yugoslavia – July 14, 2008 in Bellingham, Washington) was a Yugoslav and Macedonian football (soccer) goalkeeper who played in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer L ...

. He is the Steamers' Vice President of Corporate Sales and Alumni Relations as well as owner and Athletic Trainer of Doran Fitness Center in O'Fallon, Missouri. In 2013, Doran returned to coach the St. Louis Ambush of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) as they were resurrected in St. Louis. Under Doran's direction, the Ambush play their home games at the

Family Arena The Family Arena is a multi-purpose arena in St. Charles, Missouri, built in 1999. Currently it is home to the St. Louis Ambush of the Major Arena Soccer League. Background The arena seats 9,643 for hockey, 9,755 for football, 10,467 for ...

St. Charles, Missouri Saint Charles (commonly abbreviated St. Charles) is a city in, and the county seat of, St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. The population was 70,493 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making St. Charles the List of cities in ...

. After several failings and a 12–34 record from 2013 until 2015 Doran and assistant coach

Joe Smugala Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage, based on the novel ''Joe'' (1991) by Larry Brown * Joe (2023 film), an Indian film * ''Joe'' (TV ser ...

were waived by the St. Louis Ambush. He was replaced by

Tony Glavin Tony Glavin (born 29 April 1958) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder in both Scotland and the United States, making over 300 career appearances. His elder brother Ronnie was also a footballer. Playing career ...

.TONY GLAVIN NAMED NEW HEAD COACH OF ST. LOUIS AMBUSH
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Honors

*NPSL Defender of the Year: 1997 *NPSL First Team All Star: 1997, 1998 *All Star Game MVP: 1997 *NPSL Coach of the Year: 1994 *St.Louis Sports Hall of Fame: 2015 DoranHOF

References

External links

1981 NASL draft

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doran, Daryl Soccer players from St. Louis American men's futsal players American men's soccer players Men's association football defenders Los Angeles Lazers players Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer players St. Louis Ambush (1992–2000) players St. Louis Steamers (WISL) players St. Louis Steamers (2003–2006 MISL) players St. Louis Storm players Tampa Bay Rowdies draft picks National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) players World Indoor Soccer League players American soccer coaches National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) coaches Major Arena Soccer League players Living people 1963 births St. Louis Illusion players St. Louis Ambush (1992–2000) coaches St. Louis Ambush (2013–) coaches Major Arena Soccer League coaches Player-coaches 20th-century American sportsmen