Photo: KSYSA President and KC Brass founder Alan Blinzler talks with KCsoccer.comToday KCsoccer.com profiles: Alan Blinzler
Team(s) you are affiliated with:Kansas City United Soccer Club (formerly the Attack Soccer Club) - formed with Emilio John and Jim Schwab in 1993, Kansas City Brass - founded with Emilio John in 1997, Kansas State Youth Soccer Assocaition, President from 2005 to the present, Member of the Board of Directors from 2001 to the present.
How did you begin playing/coaching?I started playing in high school gym class. That was in the 1960’s. Everything I was told then about the game was wrong. Started to play seriously in college and then in amateur leagues in Kansas City, Kansas and at Jackson County. I still play on occassion with a group of coaches from my club in an indoor league. I started coaching in the early 1980's with my nephew and niece and later my son and daughters. All had successful careers playing and earned many honors. All of the credit for their success belongs to them and the other coaches they had. I was mostly along for the ride.
Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach:The biggest win for me was not as a coach or a player, but when my older daughter won the State Championship in High School her senior year. It came down to kicks from the mark. She was the third shooter and she nailed side netting. Watching those girls celebrate after the winning goal was something I will not forget.
Name some of your biggest wins as a player/coach:The biggest win for me was not as a coach or a player, but when my older daughter won the State Championship in High School her senior year. It came down to kicks from the mark. She was the third shooter and she nailed side netting. Watching those girls celebrate after the winning goal was something I will not forget.
Name some players you have played/coached against that have impressed you (and why?):Diego Ramon Tau. I had the opportunity to play for a number of years with Ramon. A true gentleman and the most skilled player to ever grace a field in Kansas City. In his prime there was no one who could compare. Over the years, I had the opportunity to know many truly skilled players, from Pato Margetic to Preki. Each thought Ramon was simply incredible.
Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching:When I started I was perhaps one of ten players who grew up in the US playing in the local leagues. In the early seventies there were a few players who grew up here, a few who played for the Kansas City Spurs, but most of the teams had strong ethnic ties. There were the Internationals who were mostly Germans, Santos was Brazilian, Academy was Argentinean, Peruvian and a few Central Americans, Pumas and Chivas were mainly Mexican, and so on. Shortly afterwards, there began a slow, but steady influx of American players. Today there is a whole generation of very skilled American born players at all levels, many of whom grew up in Kansas City.
What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach?A love of the game and an overly analytical bent.If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be?Make the Premier Development League, which the Kansas City Brass plays in, follow the Olympic Rules on the number of allowed over age players (3). Today the PDL allows eight over age players. Many teams start all eight and only sub the underage players. The current rule defeats the concept of a “Development” League. Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached:Manny Schwartz – goal
Craig Kasten – defense
Jim Schwab – defense
Kim Roentved - defense
Adam Blinzler (my son) or Josh Duffy – defense (coached and played with both, maybe some bias here)
Preki – mid
Will John - mid
Diego Ramon Tau – mid
Ermund Ragova - forward
Emilio John – forward
Pato Margetic - forward
There are many others who I had the chance to play with including Victor Petroni, Charlie Carrie, Robi Goff, Fatai Ayoade and a couple of so-so players named Jefferson and Lincoln Roblee who should be on that list somewhere.
Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions):
Compare the game now compared to when you first started playing/coaching:When I started I was perhaps one of ten players who grew up in the US playing in the local leagues. In the early seventies there were a few players who grew up here, a few who played for the Kansas City Spurs, but most of the teams had strong ethnic ties. There were the Internationals who were mostly Germans, Santos was Brazilian, Academy was Argentinean, Peruvian and a few Central Americans, Pumas and Chivas were mainly Mexican, and so on. Shortly afterwards, there began a slow, but steady influx of American players. Today there is a whole generation of very skilled American born players at all levels, many of whom grew up in Kansas City.
What factors have helped you be a successful player/coach?A love of the game and an overly analytical bent.If you were to improve one thing about the game/competition/regulations about the level of the game you're associated with what would it be?Make the Premier Development League, which the Kansas City Brass plays in, follow the Olympic Rules on the number of allowed over age players (3). Today the PDL allows eight over age players. Many teams start all eight and only sub the underage players. The current rule defeats the concept of a “Development” League. Name your top 11 players you have played with or coached:Manny Schwartz – goal
Craig Kasten – defense
Jim Schwab – defense
Kim Roentved - defense
Adam Blinzler (my son) or Josh Duffy – defense (coached and played with both, maybe some bias here)
Preki – mid
Will John - mid
Diego Ramon Tau – mid
Ermund Ragova - forward
Emilio John – forward
Pato Margetic - forward
There are many others who I had the chance to play with including Victor Petroni, Charlie Carrie, Robi Goff, Fatai Ayoade and a couple of so-so players named Jefferson and Lincoln Roblee who should be on that list somewhere.
Name your top 11 players of all time (no restrictions):
Lev Yashin – goal
Franz Beckenbauer – defense
Roberto Carlos – defense
Paolo Maldini – defense
Alessandro Nesta - defense
Socrates – mid
Pele – mid
Messi -mid
Lothar Mattheus - mid
Michel Platini – forward
Diego Maradona - forward
Franz Beckenbauer – defense
Roberto Carlos – defense
Paolo Maldini – defense
Alessandro Nesta - defense
Socrates – mid
Pele – mid
Messi -mid
Lothar Mattheus - mid
Michel Platini – forward
Diego Maradona - forward
This interview was completed on: (date) January 8, 2008.
