Jim Gabarra

James Michael Gabarra (born September 22, 1959) is an American retired soccer forward who coached the Washington Spirit National Women's Soccer League team, and previously coached Sky Blue FC and the Washington Freedom women's soccer teams.

He played professionally in the American Soccer League, United Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance.

A native of Key West, Florida, Gabarra attended Connecticut College where he played soccer from 1978 to 1981.

After finishing college in the spring of 1982, Gabarra was signed by the Detroit Express of the American Soccer League (ASL).

The Express won the ASL championship that season, defeating the Oklahoma City Slickers two games to one to take the title.

However, both the Express and the ASL barely made it through the 1983 season before they both folded.

Gabarra spent most of his time with the Express on the substitute's bench.

In 1984, the United Soccer League (USL) attempted to replace the ASL as the de facto U.S. second division.

Gabarra moved to the USL where he joined the New York Nationals.

The USL fared little better than the ASL, and the Nationals folded at the end of the season.

The league itself collapsed during its second season, but by that time Gabarra was establishing himself as an indoor star.

In 1984, the Louisville Thunder of the newly established American Indoor Soccer Association (AISA) signed Gabarra.

With the move to indoor soccer, Gabarra found his niche.

That year he led the Thunder in scoring as the team went to the AISA championship series, only to lose to the Canton Invaders.

On September 18, 1985, during the AISA off season, Gabarra signed with the Dallas Sidekicks of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) as a free agent.

He played ten games with the team, assisting on one goal, before moving back to the Louisville Thunder.

In 1986, Gabarra and the Thunder finally overcame the Invaders and took the 1985–1986 AISA title.

The next season, he moved to the Los Angeles Lazers of MISL.

He stayed with the Lazers for three seasons.

In 1986, Gabarra began playing for the U.S. Olympic soccer team as it began the qualification process for the 1988 Summer Olympics to be held in Seoul, South Korea.

The U.S. qualified, and Gabarra was part of the team which went 1–1–1 and failed to reach the second round.

Gabarra used his extensive indoor soccer experience to contribute to the U.S. Futsal team.

He was the captain of the team from 1986 to 1996, during which he earned 30 indoor caps and scored 17 goals, both U.S. records.

However, the team folded at the end of the 1988–1989 season.

Gabarra earned his first cap with the U.S. national team in a May 14, 1988 loss to Colombia.

He went on to earn a total of 14 caps in 1988 and 1989.

In 1989, Connecticut College inducted Gabarra into its Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 1989, the Heat were members of the Western Soccer League (WSL).

That year, they lost in penalty kicks to the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks in the semifinals.

At the end of the 1989 season, the WSL merged with the American Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League (APSL).

In 1989, the U.S. Futsal FIFA Futsal World Championship.

Three years later, Gabarra and his teammates took second at the Futsal championship, losing 4–1 to Brazil in the championship game.

During 1989, he usually came on as a substitute.

Gabarra then moved to the San Diego Sockers where he was a part of the 1990–1991 championship team.

The Heat continued its excellent play in 1990, making it to the Western Conference championship series, where it fell again to the Blackhawks.

He moved once more, this time to the Tacoma Stars for the 1991–1992 season.

By the 1991–1992 season, the MISL was on its last legs.

At the end of the season, the league and the Stars folded.

He then moved to the Milwaukee Wave of the National Professional Soccer League.

During that time, Gabarra also played two outdoor seasons with the Los Angeles Heat.