Tony DiCicco

Anthony D. DiCicco Jr. (August 5, 1948 – June 19, 2017) was a U.S. soccer player and coach and TV commentator. He is best known as the coach of the United States women's national soccer team from 1994 to 1999, during which time the team won an Olympic gold medal in 1996 and the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. He was also coach of the USA team that won the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Tony DiCicco
DiCicco in October 2010
Personal information
Full name Anthony D. DiCicco Jr.[1]
Date of birth (1948-08-05)August 5, 1948
Place of birth Wethersfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Date of death June 19, 2017(2017-06-19) (aged 68)
Place of death Wethersfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1969 Springfield Pride
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Connecticut Wildcats
Rhode Island Oceaneers
National team
1973 United States 1 (0)
Teams managed
1991 United States (women; GK coach)
1993 United States U20 (GK coach)
1994–1999 United States (women)
2009–2011 Boston Breakers (WPS)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

Born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, DiCicco is 1966 graduate of Wethersfield High School in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where he lettered in soccer, baseball and basketball.[2]

In 1970, DiCicco graduated from Springfield College in Massachusetts, where he was an All-American goalkeeper his senior year. He played with the Connecticut Wildcats and Rhode Island Oceaneers of the American Soccer League for five years, and made a single appearance for the United States men's national soccer team in 1973. During this time, he also taught Physical Education at Bellows Falls Middle School in Bellows Falls, Vt. for at least the 1972–1973 school year.[2]

Coaching career

International

In 1991, DiCicco became the goalkeeper coach for the U.S. women's team; he was also the goalkeeping coach for the 1993 U.S. men's under-20 team. He took over as head coach of the women's team in 1994, and compiled a record of 105–8–8, culminating with the team's dramatic win over China in the 1999 World Cup final.[3][4]

In 2008, DiCicco coached the U.S. U-20 Women's national team to victory in the FIFA Women's U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Club

DiCicco served as head coach of the Boston Breakers of the Women's Professional Soccer from 2009 to 2011.[5]

Sports administration

DiCicco was the founding commissioner of the Women's United Soccer Association from 2000–2003.[6][7] DiCicco has also served on a Technical Advisory board for U.S. Soccer.

Broadcasting

DiCicco worked as a commentator and analyst for ESPN's and Fox Sports' broadcasts of women's soccer, including the main broadcast booth for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.[8][9]

Writer

DiCicco was co-author of "Catch Them Being Good: Everything You Need to Know to Successfully Coach Girls" with Colleen Hacker and Charles Salzberg.

Honors and awards

Individual

DiCicco was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2012.[10][9]

International

Coach

Women's Olympics Soccer (1): 1996

FIFA Women's World Cup (1): 1999

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup (1): 2008

Personal life

DiCicco and his wife, Diane, have four sons: Anthony, Andrew, Alex, and Nicholas.[11][9]

DiCicco died on June 19, 2017 from cancer at his home in Wethersfield, Connecticut.[1] He was 68 years old.[9]

gollark: As a person, I propose that your ignorance of the opinion is ignored.
gollark: No. No groups should randomly be allowed to claim entire years. Months is bad enough, but we have even fewer years available.
gollark: "Mental state" is a very general term.
gollark: I'm not sure what "mental state" is supposed to mean, but arguably that's one of the more reasonable things to discriminate based on, given that that's at least partly controlled by the person in question and maybe includes stuff like "being annoying/trolly".
gollark: I don't know how many I'm on, so that's not helpful really.

References
  1. Jere Longman (June 20, 2017). "Tony DiCicco, Popular Coach of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team, Dies at 68". The New York Times.com. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  2. "Tony DiCicco bio". Soccer Times. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  3. "Tony DiCicco Resigns as Head Coach of U.S. Women's National Team; Olympic and Women's World Cup Champion Finishes at 103–8–8". US Soccer. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  4. "2020 U.S. Women's National Team Media Guide" (PDF). United States Soccer Federation. 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  5. Smartschan. "Boston Breakers: Moving on after Tony DiCicco". metro.us. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  6. "PLUS: SOCCER – WOMEN'S UNITED SOCCER ASSOCIATION; DiCicco Is Named As Commissioner". New York Times. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  7. "Tony DiCicco profile". US Soccer. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  8. "Women's Soccer Analyst profile". ESPN. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  9. "Tony DiCicco, coach of '99 WWC champs, passes away". The Equalizer. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  10. "Tony DiCicco Elected to National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2012". National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  11. "Tony DiCicco bio". Women's Soccer World. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
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