Walter Giesler facts for kids

Walter John Giesler (born September 6, 1909, died July 5, 1976) was an important American soccer leader. He was a coach and helped manage the sport. He is most famous for coaching the United States men's national soccer team in the 1950 FIFA World Cup.

Walter Giesler's Early Life and Soccer Journey

Walter Giesler was born in St. Louis, Missouri. From a young age, he became a very important person in sports in the Midwestern United States. He played soccer in high school at McBride. After that, he played in many different soccer leagues. These included amateur (for fun) and professional (for money) teams. One team he played for was the Ben Millers in the St. Louis Soccer League.

Leading U.S. Soccer

After he stopped playing soccer, Walter Giesler took on new roles. He became a soccer administrator, which means he helped organize and run the sport. He also worked as a referee. In St. Louis, he owned a business that sold sports equipment.

Giesler was a leader in the United States Soccer Football Association (USSFA). This organization helps manage soccer across the country. He served as the second vice-president from 1945 to 1948. Then, he was elected president of the USSFA. He held this important position from 1948 until 1949.

Coaching the National Team

Walter Giesler also coached the United States men's national soccer team. He led the team during the 1948 Olympic Games in London. Two years later, he coached the team again in the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. This was a very big event for soccer around the world.

Honors and Later Years

Because of his great contributions to soccer, Walter Giesler was honored many times. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1952. Later, in 1971, he was also inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame. In 1972, he worked as the general manager for the St. Louis Frogs, a soccer team in the ASL league.

Walter Giesler passed away in Philadelphia on July 5, 1976. This happened while the 1950 U.S. World Cup soccer team was being inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame.