Mark Schwartz is a retired American

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 ...

forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...

who played in the

United Soccer League United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a Association football, soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues curren ...

and the third American Soccer League. He was the 1984 USL Rookie of the Year. In 1979, Schwartz graduated from

Miramar High School Miramar High School is a public high school located in Miramar, Florida. The school opened in 1970 and serves students residing in southwest Broward County; however, magnet students may hail from elsewhere in the county. Miramar High School serve ...

where he was a star soccer player. During his three high school seasons, he scored 104 goals. He then attended

Appalachian State University Appalachian State University (; Appalachian, App State, App, or ASU) is a public university in Boone, North Carolina. It was founded as a teachers college in 1899 by brothers B. B. and D. D. Dougherty and the latter's wife, Lillie Shull Dough ...

where he played on the men's soccer team. He graduated in 1982 and was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. In 1984, Schwartz turned professional

Fort Lauderdale Sun Fort Lauderdale Sun was a U.S. soccer team which played two seasons in the United Soccer League. In 1984, the team was known as the Fort Lauderdale Sun. Before the 1985 season they changed their name to the South Florida Sun. Origins The United S ...

of the

. He was the Rookie of the Year and playoff MVP. In the fall of 1984, Schwartz had an unsuccessful trial with the Dallas Sidekicks of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He then returned to Florida where he coached the

Hollywood Hills High School Hollywood Hills High School is a high school in Hollywood, Florida. Attendance zones The school serves sections of Hollywood and Davie, Florida, Davie. - Compare this map to attendance boundary maps and/or street addresses of particular schoo ...

girls team and played for the amateur Lowenbrau Lions of the Gold Coast Soccer League's First Division. In 1985, the Sun moved and changed their name to the

South Florida Sun Fort Lauderdale Sun was a U.S. soccer team which played two seasons in the United Soccer League. In 1984, the team was known as the Fort Lauderdale Sun. Before the 1985 season they changed their name to the South Florida Sun. Origins The United ...

. The team and the league collapsed six games into the season. Schwartz then worked as a carpenter, coached Hollywood High and played for the Lowenbrau Lions. In 1986,

Andrew College Andrew College is a private liberal arts college in Cuthbert, Georgia. It is associated with The United Methodist Church and is the ninth-oldest college in Georgia. Andrew is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Comm ...

hired Schwartz took start a women's soccer team at the college. In 1986, he played for the

Houston Dynamos Houston Dynamos was a U.S. soccer team that existed in various forms from 1983 to 1991. In 1991, the team's owners changed the name to Houston International, but the team lasted only through the 1992 season before folding. The Dynamos were foun ...

. In March 1988, he signed with the

Fort Lauderdale Strikers Fort Lauderdale Strikers may refer to: *Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983), member of North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983 *Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994), member of American Soccer League from 1988 to 1989 and American Profes ...

of the American Soccer League. He then started the Strikers first game of the 1989 season, but didn't play after that. He asked for and was granted his release from the team in May.''STRIKERS LOOKING FOR CHEMISTRY'' Sun-Sentinel - Tuesday, May 16, 1989 Starting in August 2015, Mark has been working as a Project Engineer for Bernhardt Design in Lenoir, North Carolina.

Yearly awards

*USL Rookie of the Year: 1984 * USL Playoff MVP: 1984

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwartz, Mark American soccer coaches American men's soccer players American Soccer League (1988–89) players Appalachian State Mountaineers men's soccer players Fort Lauderdale Sun players Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994) players Houston Dynamos players United Soccer League (1984–85) players Living people Men's association football forwards Year of birth missing (living people) Andrew College