Mark Simanton 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 ...

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

who spent his entire professional career with the

Chicago Sting The Chicago Sting (1974–1988) was an American professional soccer team representing Chicago. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1982–83 season and again from 1 ...

. Simanton graduated from

New Trier West High School New Trier High School (, also known as New Trier Township High School or NTHS) is a public four-year high school, with its main campus for sophomores through seniors located in Winnetka, Illinois, United States, and a campus in Northfield, Illinoi ...

. He attended the

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

where he played on the men's soccer team from 1976 to 1979. In 1980, Simanton turned professional with the

of the

North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to: *North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league *North American Soccer League (2011–2017) The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league b ...

. He would remain with the Sting for his entire career which consisted of five outdoor seasons, two NASL indoor seasons and four seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. During these years, the Sting won both the 1981 and 1984 NASL titles. In 1987, Simanton publicly criticized the Sting for hiring Erich Geyer as head coach. He became a free agent that summer and refused to sign with the Sting.''Simanton puts sting on Geyer'' Chicago Sun-Times - Tuesday, September 29, 1987 He then became a vice-president of Huron Partners, a real estate development company. He also served as a broadcast analyst for Sting games.

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NASL stats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simanton, Mark 1956 births Living people Soccer players from Chicago American men's soccer players Chicago Sting (MISL) players Chicago Sting (NASL) players Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer players Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players Men's association football midfielders Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) commentators