Colin Clark (soccer) facts for kids
Clark signing autographs at the groundbreaking ceremony
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Colin Clark | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | April 11, 1984 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Date of death | August 26, 2019 (aged 35) | ||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Left winger | ||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | SMU Mustangs | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 2005 | Boulder Rapids Reserve | 12 | (5) | ||||||||||
| 2006–2010 | Colorado Rapids | 84 | (10) | ||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Houston Dynamo | 43 | (5) | ||||||||||
| 2013 | LA Galaxy | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||
| Total | 144 | (20) | |||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | United States | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||
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Honours
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Colin Clark (born April 11, 1984 – died August 26, 2019) was an American soccer player. He played as a left winger.
Contents
Colin Clark's Soccer Journey
College and Amateur Years
Colin Clark started his soccer journey in college. He played for the Southern Methodist University team, called the SMU Mustangs. He was with them for two years, from 2002 to 2004. After college, in 2005, he played for the Boulder Rapids Reserve team. This team was part of the USL Premier Development League.
Professional Career
Playing for Colorado Rapids
In February 2006, Colin Clark officially joined the Colorado Rapids. He signed a special contract to help him develop as a player. He stayed with the team until 2010.
During his time with the Rapids, he faced some challenges. In August 2009, he hurt his ACL (a knee ligament) during practice. This injury meant he couldn't play for the rest of that year. A year later, in another game, he tore the same ACL again. This second injury also kept him from playing for the rest of the season.
Moving to Houston Dynamo
On September 15, 2010, Colin Clark moved to the Houston Dynamo team. This was part of a trade deal. The Dynamo gave the Colorado Rapids money and a future draft pick. In return, the Rapids sent Clark and some money to Houston.
League Suspension and Apology
In March 2012, during a game, Colin Clark made an inappropriate comment to a ball boy. This comment was heard on microphones. He quickly apologized for what he said on Twitter.
A few days later, Major League Soccer (MLS) took action. They suspended Clark for three games and gave him a fine. The league also told him he needed to attend training about diversity and respect. The MLS Commissioner, Don Garber, said that the league does not allow such behavior from its players. He also noted that Clark was truly sorry for his actions.
Clark said he was sorry to the ball boy and to everyone he had offended. He explained that his words did not show who he really was. He accepted the punishment from the MLS.
Joining LA Galaxy
After his contract with Houston Dynamo ended in 2012, Colin Clark entered a special draft. On December 14, 2012, the Los Angeles Galaxy chose him. The Galaxy made a trade to get an earlier pick in the draft so they could select Clark.
Playing for His Country
On July 11, 2009, Colin Clark played his first game for the United States men's national soccer team. He played against Haiti in a big tournament called the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Colin Clark's Passing
Colin Clark passed away on August 26, 2019. He was 35 years old. He died after having a heart attack.
See also
In Spanish: Colin Clark (futbolista) para niños
