Otto Orf

Otto E. Orf II (born November 4, 1963) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the United Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League. He played one game for the U.S. at the 1996 FIFA Futsal World Championship.

Otto Orf
Personal information
Full name Otto E. Orf II
Date of birth (1963-11-04) November 4, 1963
Place of birth Elma, New York, United States
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1981–1983 SUNY Buffalo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984 Buffalo Storm
1985–1986 Columbus Capitals (indoor) 8 (0)
1986–1989 Fort Wayne Flames (indoor) 59 (1)
1987–1988 Toronto Blizzard 3 (0)
1987 Toronto Italia
1989 San Diego Sockers (indoor) 3 (0)
1989 San Diego Nomads 1 (0)
1989–2004 Cleveland Crunch/Force (indoor) 344 (7)
1990 Orlando Lions
National team
1996–2000 US Futsal 8 (0)
Teams managed
2004 Cleveland Force (interim)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Player

Orf first played soccer his sophomore year at Iroquois Central High School, trying out for goalkeeper because nobody else was interested in that position. By his senior season, he was the team MVP.[1] Orf attended SUNY Buffalo where he played both baseball and soccer. His baseball career ended with an elbow injury his sophomore season. In 1984, he left SUNY Buffalo before his senior season to turn professional with the Buffalo Storm of the United Soccer League. The release by the Storm of their starting goalkeeper following financial difficulties brought about Orf signing on for $50 per week. In 1986, Orf signed with the Columbus Capitals of the American Indoor Soccer Association. After one season in Columbus, he moved to the Fort Wayne Flames for three seasons. He finished his Flames’ career with fifty-nine appearances and one goal.[2] In addition to playing for the Flames, Orf backstopped the Toronto Blizzard of the Canadian Soccer League in 1987 and 1988. He also played in the National Soccer League in 1987 with Toronto Italia and later with Toronto Croatia.[3][4] In April 1989, the San Diego Sockers of the Major Indoor Soccer League signed Orf. The AISA season had just ended and the Sockers were looking for a backup to Victor Nogueira after Zoltán Tóth went out injured.[5] In 1989, Orf spent the summer playing for the San Diego Nomads of the Western Soccer League.[6] In 1990, he played one last outdoor season, this time with the Orlando Lions of the American Professional Soccer League.[7] In the fall of 1989, Orf signed with the Cleveland Crunch of the MISL. In 1992, the MISL collapsed and the Crunch moved to the National Professional Soccer League. In 2001, that league collapsed and the Crunch moved to the second Major Indoor Soccer League. In 2002, the Crunch became the Cleveland Force when it came under new team ownership. Orf played for Cleveland through all these changes in leagues and name before retiring in 2004.

Futsal

Orf earned eight caps with the United States national futsal team between 1996 and 2000.[8] He played one game for the U.S. at the 1996 FIFA Futsal World Championship.

Coach

In November and December 2004, Orf served as an interim coach for the Force when Omid Namazi was suspended for three games.

References
  1. "They're Nuts Over Their Job : Socker Goalies Agree a Little Craziness Helps Them Survive". articles.latimes.com.
  2. "Fort Wayne Flames". enotes.com.
  3. "Local Scene". The Buffalo News. November 22, 1989. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  4. Da Costa, Norman (November 2, 1987). "Italia leads the way". Toronto Star. p. D8.
  5. "Sockers' Toth Has Foot Surgery; Goalkeeper Signed". articles.latimes.com.
  6. "1989 San Diego Nomads". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com.
  7. "1990 Orlando Lions". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com.
  8. "Futsal Planet: Otto Orf". futsalplanet.com.
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