Stephen Herdsman (born October 6, 1975 in Kingston, Jamaica), is a former American soccer defender now coaching three time national champion Midwest United FC of Grand Rapids, MI. As well now coaching for Cornerstone University of the NAIA of Grand Rapids, MI.

Career

Herdsman played

college soccer College soccer is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. It is very prominent in United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and as well as in South Africa and Philippines, the Philippines. Th ...

Cornerstone University Cornerstone University is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Cornerstone University has undergraduate and graduate programs, two seminaries ( Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and Asia Biblical Theological Seminary based ...

until 2000, while also playing in the

Premier Development League USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...

with the

West Michigan Edge West Michigan Edge was an American soccer team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the fran ...

. Herdsman was drafted 17th overall in the

2001 MLS SuperDraft The 2001 Major League Soccer SuperDraft was held on February 5, 2001, at the Signature Grand in Davie, Florida. Player selection Any player whose name is marked with an * was contracted under the Project-40 Generation Adidas is a joint ventur ...

by the

Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1995, as part of the Anschutz Corporation, ...

. With his blazing speed, Herdsman earned a spot on the team as an outside back, starting 16 games for the Rapids as a rookie. He saw his playing time decline in 2002, however, starting only 9 games, although he started all five of the Rapids' playoff games. After playing in only three games in the 2003 season, however, Herdsman announced his retirement from professional soccer, reportedly due to personality conflicts with Rapids head coach

Tim Hankinson Timothy Milledge Hankinson (February 18, 1955 – September 22, 2022) was an American soccer coach. He initially coached American college teams, before becoming head coach in Major League Soccer, as well as managing teams in Iceland, India, an ...

. Steve also retired from the MLS because of an injury to his leg. Steve is now a Director with Midwest United FC. After finishing the season with the West Michigan Edge, Herdsman's rights were traded from the Rapids to the

Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as on ...

, and he switched teams. Although he began the season as a starting outside back for the Crew, Herdsman lost his spot to Nelson Akwari and

Chris Wingert Chris Wingert (born June 16, 1982) is an American professional soccer player for New York Cosmos B in the National Premier Soccer League. He spent fourteen seasons of his professional career in Major League Soccer (MLS) with the Columbus Crew ...

, and ended the season having appeared in only eight games. After playing in just seven games in 2005, he was released. In 2009, Herdsman signed with the

Michigan Bucks Flint City Bucks is an American soccer team based in Flint, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The club was founded in 1995 as the Mid-Michigan Bucks, play ...

of the

USL Premier Development League USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league sy ...

.BUCKS ADD MLS EXPERIENCE TO 2009 ROSTER
In 2016, Herdsman was named in NPSL side Grand Rapids FC's roster, but did not appear once.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herdsmen, Stephen 1975 births American soccer players Colorado Rapids players Columbus Crew players Living people Sportspeople from Coral Springs, Florida West Michigan Edge players USL League Two players Major League Soccer players Colorado Rapids draft picks Association football defenders Cornerstone University alumni Sportspeople from Kingston, Jamaica College men's soccer coaches in the United States