Peter Knezic

Peter Knezic is a retired American soccer player who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League, United Soccer League and American Indoor Soccer League. He coached at the professional, collegiate and youth soccer level where he is currently the coaching director at Milwaukee Kickers Soccer Club.

Peter A. Knezic
Personal information
Date of birth (1959-06-26) June 26, 1959
Place of birth Cudahy, Wisconsin, United States
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder / Defender
Youth career
1967–? Milwaukee Serbians
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1980 Milwaukee Panthers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1981 Chicago Horizons (indoor) 0 (0)
1982–1983 Oklahoma City Slickers
1984 Oklahoma City Stampede
1984–1985 Chicago Sting (indoor) 3 (0)
1985 Tulsa Tornados
1985–1990 Milwaukee Wave (indoor) 191 (81)
Teams managed
1986– Milwaukee Wave (assistant)
1989–1990 UW–Milwaukee Panthers
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Youth

Knezic grew up in Cudahy, Wisconsin where in 1967 he began playing youth soccer with the Milwaukee Serbians. He moved up the club ranks and eventually played for their senior team where he was part of three Wisconsin Major Division and two Wisconsin Challenge Cup championships. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee where he was a 1979 Honorable Mention (third team) All American soccer player.[1]

Professional

In 1980, both the Chicago Sting of the North American Soccer League and the Chicago Horizons of the Major Indoor Soccer League drafted Knezic. He signed with the Horizons and played one season with them before the team folded. In 1982, he signed with the Oklahoma City Slickers of the American Soccer League.[2] He remained with the Slickers through the 1983 season. When both the team and the league collapsed, he moved to the Oklahoma City Stampede of the newly established United Soccer League.[3] In 1985, he moved to the Tulsa Tornados, but the team and league collapsed six games into the season.[4] In the fall of 1985, he signed with the Milwaukee Wave of the American Indoor Soccer Association. He was selected for the All Star game that season. Knezic suffered from back problems during the 1986-1987 season and when not playing, served as the team's assistant coach and general manager for player personnel.[5] He continued to play for the Wave through the 1989-1990 season. In March 1992, the Wave retired his playing number - #5.[6] In 1989, Knezic was hired to coach the UW–Milwaukee Panthers women's soccer team. Over two seasons, he compiled a 17-17-4 record and resigned on March 13, 1991.[7] He was inducted into the Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007.[8]

References
  1. UWM Panthers letterwinners
  2. A Who's Who of the Slickers The Names May Not Be Familiar The Daily Oklahoman - Monday, April 26, 1982
  3. Homestanding Stampede Hopes To Repeat Victory Over Dynamos The Daily Oklahoman - Saturday, May 19, 1984
  4. "The Year in American Soccer - 1985". Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  5. KANSAS CITY FIRES BENBEN Wichita Eagle, The (KS) - Tuesday, January 20, 1987
  6. Wave jersey No. 5 is retired with love Milwaukee Sentinel - Monday, March 9, 1992
  7. UWM coach resigns The Milwaukee Journal - Thursday, March 14, 1991
  8. 2007 Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame
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