John Kowalski (born December 22, 1951 in Miłków, Poland) is a former coach of the professional United States

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

clubs Tampa Bay Mutiny (

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

), Pittsburgh Riverhounds ( NASL) and

Pittsburgh Spirit Pittsburgh Spirit were an indoor soccer team based in Pittsburgh and were one of the original six teams that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). The Spirit were founded in 1978, suspended operation for the 1980–81 season, then ret ...

(

MISL The Misls (derived from an Arabic word wikt:مثل#Etymology_3, مِثْل meaning 'equal') were the twelve sovereign states of the Sikh Confederacy, which rose during the 18th century in the Punjab region in the northern part of the Indian ...

). He also briefly managed the

United States national team The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions. Olympic teams Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...

in 1991, compiling a 2-0-1 record. Kowalski was also the head coach of the 1989 and 1992 U.S. five-a-side ( Futsal) teams which won a bronze medal in the Netherlands in 1989 and a silver medal in Hong Kong in 1992. Since the Futsal World Championship is a

FIFA FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...

sanctioned event, the 1992 silver medal is the highest medal achievement the United States men's team has accomplished in

worldwide soccer competition. The 1989 bronze was the first official U.S. medal in a

world competition.There was no official World Cup Third Place match in 1930 and no official third place was awarded; U.S. and Yugoslavia each lost in the semi-finals. He also coached the Robert Morris University women's soccer team from 2001 until 2019. With the Colonials, he amassed a career 112-224-19 record, and guided RMU to their first ever Northeast Conference Tournament appearance. Kowalski is also the head coach of the Fort Pitt FC Regiment of the NPSL, and the U-14 Girls Stars United team, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

References

1951 births Living people American soccer coaches Tampa Bay Mutiny coaches Major League Soccer coaches Robert Morris Colonials coaches Polish emigrants to the United States United States men's national soccer team managers Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC coaches {{US-footy-bio-stub