Danny Kelly (soccer)

Danny Kelly (born March 7, 1969) is a former midfielder and coach.

For other people with the same name, see Daniel Kelly.
Danny Kelly
Personal information
Date of birth (1969-03-07) March 7, 1969
Place of birth Bronx, New York, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1990 Penn State Nittany Lions
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1999 Harrisburg Heat (indoor) 179 (224)
1993 San Diego Sockers (indoor) 23 (14)
1996 Rochester Rhinos 20 (2)
1997–1998 Hershey Wildcats 37 (5)
1999–2006 Baltimore Blast (indoor) 220 (106)
National team
U.S. Futsal
Teams managed
2006–2020 Baltimore Blast
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Player

Youth

Kelly played in the Blau-Weiss Gottschee youth system. He then played college soccer at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. While at Penn State he was a four-year letter winner from 1987 to 1990. He earned national recognition and honors during his college career. He still holds Penn State records, including one for single season assists.

Professional

On February 14, 1991, the Kansas City Comets selected Kelly in the third round of the Major Soccer League draft. He did not sign with the Comets, but began his professional career when he signed as the first-ever draft choice the Harrisburg Heat of the National Professional Soccer League on October 19, 1991.[1][2] In 1995, the Heat finished runner-up in the NPSL Championship Series.[3] In 1996, he played for the Rochester Rhinos of the A-League as they finished runner-up to the Seattle Sounders.[4][5] In 1997, he joined the Hershey Wildcats of the USISL. He would also play the 1998 outdoor season with the Wildcats. On September 11, 1998, the Heat traded Kelly to the Baltimore Blast in exchange for Michael Henning and cash. Kelly finished his seven seasons with the Heat in fifth place on the team's all-time points list despite missing large parts of several seasons with injuries.[6] In eight seasons in Baltimore he compiled more than 200 points and ranks sixth on the team's all-time scoring list. In 2001, the Blast moved to the newly created Major Indoor Soccer League. A three-time League All-Star, Kelly represented the Blast in the 2006 MISL All-Star Game and leads the team's defenders that season in points. Kelly also ranks 20th on the League's all-time scoring list. The current Harrisburg Heat retired Kelly's number during a halftime ceremony on December 8, 2012.[2]

International

Kelly played for the United States national futsal team.

Coach

In 2006, Kelly was hired as the head coach of the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was named interim player-coach after his predecessor Tim Wittman was suspended by the league for assaulting a referee.[7] Kelly won the 2008-2009 National Indoor Soccer League Coach of the Year.[8] He lead the Blast team to 7 Championship titles.

On 28 May 2020, the Blast announced that Kelly had "moved on" and that his assistant David Bascome would be taking over as head coach.[9]

References
  1. "Transactions: October 19, 1991". The New York Times. October 19, 1991.
  2. Bullock, Michael (December 8, 2012). "Harrisburg Heat to host Cincinnati Kings Saturday night at the State Farm Show Complex". The Patriot-News. Harrisburg, PA. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  3. "The Year in American Soccer, 1995". homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on 2018-09-26. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  4. "Rochester Rhinos". www.rhinossoccer.com. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  5. "The Year in American Soccer, 1996". homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  6. "Unofficial Harrisburg Heat Website: All-Time Points Leaders". www.angelfire.com. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  7. Sidel, Jeff. "Wittman banned; Blast turns to Kelly". BaltimoreSun.com. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  8. "Danny Kelly Named 2008-09 NISL Coach of the Year". Archived from the original on 2010-11-19. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  9. "Blast replace head coach Danny Kelly with assistant David Bascome. Kelly departs after 15 years, six championships". BaltimoreSun.com. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
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