Heath Pearce (born August 13, 1984) is an American professional soccer player who played as a defender for teams in Europe and North America. He represented his national team on 35 occasions. Pearce is currently hosting "The Mixer", a program on the YouTube channel, KICK. (Formerly known as KICKTV)[1]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Heath Gregory Pearce | ||
Date of birth | August 13, 1984 | ||
Place of birth | Modesto, California, United States | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | Centre back / Full back | ||
Youth career | |||
–2001 | IMG Soccer Academy | ||
2002–2004 | Portland Pilots | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2005–2007 | FC Nordsjælland | 75 | (2) |
2007–2009 | Hansa Rostock | 31 | (0) |
2009–2010 | FC Dallas | 34 | (0) |
2011–2012 | Chivas USA | 40 | (0) |
2012–2013 | New York Red Bulls | 32 | (2) |
2014 | Montreal Impact | 23 | (0) |
2015 | IFK Göteborg | 0 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2000–2001 | United States U17 | 4 | (2) |
2003 | United States U18 | 1 | (0) |
2003 | United States U20 | 3 | (0) |
2005–2012 | United States | 35 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of December 13, 2014 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of October 27, 2012 |
Career
College and amateur
Pearce played his high school soccer at Peter Johansen High School in Modesto, California before playing his college soccer at the University of Portland, where he was an All-West Coast Conference honorable mention selection. In his final year at Portland, he started all 20 games, scoring two goals and racking up five assists.
During his college years he also played for the Bradenton Academics in the USL Premier Development League.[2]
FC Nordsjælland
Pearce signed with FC Nordsjælland and began his professional career in the 2004–05 Danish Superliga season. He made 75 league appearances and scored two goals for club in his two and a half seasons there.
Hansa Rostock
After stating that he would leave Nordsjælland after the 2007 season with a goal to be signed by a team in Germany, Scotland, or the Netherlands, Pearce signed a two-year contract with Hansa Rostock on July 16, 2007.[3] In January 2008, Pearce was briefly suspended for being late to return to the club from international duty,[4][5] but was eventually allowed back on the team. On April 13, 2009, Pearce was permanently suspended from Hansa Rostock's first team and demoted to the reserve squad.[6] At the end of the season, Pearce was released from his contract.
FC Dallas
On September 2, 2009, Pearce reportedly signed a two-year contract with Turkish team Bursaspor,[7][8] but the next day it had emerged that a deal was not reached until after the transfer window had closed.[9] After his failed move to Turkey, he signed with Major League Soccer side FC Dallas on September 11, 2009.[10] In his first full season in Dallas Pearce helped the club to the 2010 MLS Cup final.
Chivas USA
On February 15, 2011, after two seasons with Dallas, Pearce was traded to Chivas USA in return for allocation money.[11] Pearce was traded to New York Red Bulls on May 17, 2012 with allocation money and future considerations in exchange for forward Juan Agudelo.[12] Pearce scored his first MLS goal on June 20 versus the Vancouver Whitecaps helping New York to earn a 1–1 draw with his late equalizer.
New York Red Bulls
Midway through the 2013 season, Pearce elected to have a season ending hip surgery that ruled him out for the remainder of the season. New York and Pearce mutually parted ways after At the end of the 2013 MLS season.[13] He entered the 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft but was not selected.
Montreal Impact
On March 6, 2014, Pearce signed with Montreal Impact.[14] Pearce appeared in 29 matches in his lone season in Montreal. After one season in Montreal, in December 2014 Pearce was selected by Orlando City SC in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft.
IFK Göteborg
On January 29, 2015 Pearce signed a five-month-long contract with Allsvenskan club IFK Göteborg.[15]
International career
Pearce made his international debut in November 2005 against Scotland. Pearce was included by Bruce Arena in United States training camps and friendly matches prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup but did not make the team.
Under Bob Bradley, Pearce became a regular starter for the national team. With relatively little competition in the U.S. player pool at left back, Pearce played the most minutes of any American field player in 2008. But as his club situation deteriorated, Pearce has seen less time with national team. Though a member of the squad at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, he did not make an appearance in the tournament as Jonathan Bornstein and Carlos Bocanegra were the preferred choices. Pearce was a member of the second-tier U.S. team for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Lately he has not seen much action due to the return of Bornstein and also Bocanegra and Jonathan Spector both being versatile enough to play in that position.
Pearce was included on the 30-man preliminary roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but did not make the final 23 man squad.[16]
Career statistics
Club
- As of March 14, 2015[17]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Portland Pilots | 2002 | 20 | 2 | — | — | 20 | 2 | ||
Bradenton Academics | 2003 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | |
Total | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
Portland Pilots | 2003 | 20 | 1 | — | — | 20 | 1 | ||
2004 | 22 | 5 | — | — | 22 | 5 | |||
Total | 62 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 8 | |
FC Nordsjælland | 2004–05 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |
2005–06 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 31 | 1 | ||
2006–07 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 1 | ||
Total | 75 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 2 | |
Hansa Rostock | 2007–08 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 21 | 0 | |
2008–09 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||
2009–10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
FC Dallas | 2009 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||
2010 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | ||
Total | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
Chivas USA | 2011 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | |
2012 | 10 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | |||
Total | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | |
New York Red Bulls | 2012 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 20 | 3 | |
2013 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | ||
Total | 32 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 3 | |
Montreal Impact | 2014 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
Total | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
IFK Göteborg | 2015 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
Career total | 308 | 13 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 327 | 14 |
International
- As of January 25, 2012[18]
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
United States | |||
2005 | 1 | 0 | |
2006 | 4 | 0 | |
2007 | 5 | 0 | |
2008 | 11 | 0 | |
2009 | 7 | 0 | |
2010 | 5 | 0 | |
2011 | 0 | 0 | |
2012 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 35 | 0 |
Honours
Club
- Portland Pilots
- West Coast Conference Regular Season: 2002
- FC Dallas
- Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship: 2010
- New York Red Bulls
- Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield: 2013
- Montreal Impact
- IFK Göteborg
Personal life
Pearce has one younger adopted sister and two brothers. His sister, Lindsay Pearce, has starred in the TV series The Glee Project where she won a role on the Fox hit show Glee.[19]
Pearce is an avid car and racing enthusiast. He has partnered with Matt Young as a co-owner in a professional sports car racing venture, Matt Young Motorsports with Heath Pearce.[20]
Pearce, a current free agent, also works in the field of media and broadcast. He has replaced his former Chivas USA teammate, Jimmy Conrad, as host of the YouTube channel KICKTV.
References
- ^ "KICK". YouTube. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ^ Demosphere International, Inc. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". Uslsoccer.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ "Rostock holt Lense und Pearce" [Rostock signs Lense and Pearce]. kicker.de (in German). July 16, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ "Strafe für "geschwänztes" Training?" [Fine for skipped training?]. bild.de (in German). January 5, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ "Pagelsdorf schmeißt Pearce raus" [Pagelsdorf kicks Pearce out]. bild.de (in German). January 16, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ "Pearce und Kronholm in zweite Mannschaft zurückgestuft" [Pearce and Kronholm demoted to second team]. Hansa Rostock (in German). April 13, 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ "U.S.' Pearce joins Turkish club Bursaspor". Sports Illustrated. September 2, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- ^ "ABD'li sol bek Pearce Bursaspor'da" (in Turkish). CNN Türk. September 2, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- ^ "Pearce kommt doch nicht zu Bursaspor" (in German). Archived from the original on September 5, 2009.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Latest News". Web.mlsnet.com. September 23, 2011. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Chivas USA Acquires United States National Team Defender Heath Pearce". Cdchivasusa.com. February 15, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ Davis, Noah (May 17, 2012). "Heath Pearce is just what New York needs". prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ^ "New York Red Bulls part ways with veteran defender Heath Pearce". mlssoccer.com. November 27, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ^ "Impact adds defender Heath Pearce to its roster". Montreal Impact. March 6, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
- ^ "Försvarsspelare klar för IFK" (in Swedish). IFK Göteborg. January 29, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
- ^ Townsend, Brad (May 26, 2010). "FC Dallas' Heath Pearce left off U.S. World Cup roster". Dallasnews.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ "Heath Pearce". Elite Prospects. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
- ^ "Heath Pearce". National Football Teams. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
- ^ Hoppes, Lynn. "'Glee' actress sister to Major League Soccer player". ESPN. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ "Pro Soccer Star Heath Pearce & Matt Young Motorsports team up with Ranger Sports Racing for Barber". heathpearce.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
External links
- MLS player profile
- U.S Soccer Player Bio
- Heath Pearce at fussballdaten.de (in German)
- Career statistics Template:Da icon
- Heath Pearce at National-Football-Teams.com