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| No. 15 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | (1945-08-03)3 August 1945 (age 79) Salzwedel,Soviet occupation zone of Germany | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 175 lb (79 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Levittown (PA) Woodrow Wilson | ||||||||||
| College: | Tennessee | ||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1969: 5th round, 128th pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Karl Friedrich Kremser | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1960–1964 | Woodrow Wilson High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1964–1966 | Army Cadets | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1970–1975 | Palm Springs Junior High | ||
| 1975–1977 | Miami Killian High School | ||
| 1977–1979 | Davidson Wildcats | ||
| 1980–2007 | FIU Panthers | ||
Karl Friedrich Kremser (born 3 August 1945) is aGerman American formerfootballplacekicker for theMiami Dolphins of theNational Football League (NFL) and retired collegesoccer coach fromFlorida International University. He playedcollege soccer for theUnited States Military Academy andcollege football for theUniversity of Tennessee. He was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the1969 NFL/AFL draft.
Kremser was born inSalzwedel in theSoviet occupation zone of Germany shortly after the end ofWorld War II toReichsdeutsche parents born inLatvia. His father was drafted into theGerman Army and fought on theRussian front. While his father was in the army, Kremser's family fled to Germany, to avoid the incomingRed Army. Until his family emigrated toSeabrook Farms, New Jersey in 1952, Kremser lived in Germany as a war refugee. Seabrook Farms was a truck farming area and pioneer of the frozen vegetable industry, which gave factory jobs and immigration support in exchange for one year of work. After Kremser's father finished his contract at Seabrook Farms, he found a new job and relocated the family toLevittown, Pennsylvania. Kremser attended the localWoodrow Wilson High School, where he excelled intrack and soccer, graduating in 1964.[1]
Kremser was recruited byWest Point for track, but also played soccer where he led theBlack Knights to the final four of the1965 NCAA Tournament. Unable to adjust to the cadet lifestyle, Kremser left after two years, in search of another school. After reading a Spring 1966Sports Illustrated article aboutRichmond Flowers, Kremser wrote toUniversity of Tennessee track and field coach Chuck Rohe. Coach Rohe wrote back and the two arranged to meet during an AAU event. Unable to offer Kremser a scholarship, Coach Rohe instead arranged a work-study place, and Kremser transferred in 1966.[1]
Since Tennessee did not have a soccer team, and inspired byCharlie andPete Gogolak's innovative soccer-style placekicking, Kremser began practicing. Word spread about his talent, and he was encouraged to try out for spring football. Kremser was soon offered a full footballscholarship, and may have been the first non-recruited dual sports athlete at Tennessee.[1] The highlight of his collegiate football career came with a 54-yard field goal that helped the Volunteers defeatAlabama, 10–9, in 1968.[2] The kick set aSoutheastern Conference record for distance, and still ranks among the longest field goals in Tennessee history.[3]
After graduation, Kremser was drafted by theMiami Dolphins, in the fifth round of the1969 NFL/AFL draft, and became the team's leading scorer in hisrookie season.[4][5][6] The following year,George Wilson was replaced byDon Shula, who brought inGaro Yepremian. Shula initially kept both kickers, with Yepremian on the taxi squad, but after one game, Yepremian was promoted to the active roster and Kremser was released.[7] Upon being released, Kremser started teaching physical education at Palm Springs Junior High, while looking for a new team. He signed withGreen Bay for pre-season, but the day before leaving for camp, he injured his quad during practice. It was then that Kremser decided to end his football career.[1]
In retirement, Kremser returned to Palm Springs Junior High. The school system had a soccer competition for junior high schools, and thereafter Kremser organized teams for tournaments. Kremser moved on toMiami Killian High School in 1975, where he taught German and coached soccer. He led the team to a state championship in 1977.[1]
In 1977, Kremser joined theDavidson CollegeWildcats, and built their soccer program while also coaching track. By his third season, the Wildcats had five players named All-Southern Conference, with Kremser named Coach of the Year.[3]
From 1980 to 2007, Kremser coached theFlorida International UniversityPanthers.[8] During 27 years at FIU, Kremser was able to greatly develop its program, from a smallDivision II unknown to a respectedDivision I program. He guided twoNCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship teams at FIU, in 1982 and 1984, and three others reached the national finals, including his 1996 team that played for theNCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship againstSt. John's. The two championships won in 1982 and 1984 remain FIU's only national championships in any sport. Kremser led FIU to eight Division II and eight Division I tournament appearances, while winning the 1991Trans America Athletic Conference tournament. FIU also won and theAtlantic Soccer Conference regular season championship in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004.[3]
Among many honors and achievements, Kremser was named Florida's Coach of the Year in 1980, and the Collegiate Coaches' South Region Coach of the Year in 1985. He was selected Trans America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1991, when he guided the Panthers to their first conference crown and NCAA Division I Tournament appearance. Kremser was voted TAAC Coach of the Year in 1996, and picked up Atlantic Soccer Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2002 and 2004 – FIU's final season with the league.[3]
Kremser has coached 32 all-state selections, including five state Players of the Year, 34 All-South Region selections and eightAll-Americans. Forty of his players turned professional, including formerU.S. National Team playerRobin Fraser, 1996MLS Rookie of the Year and former U.S. National Team memberSteve Ralston, 2003 and 2005MLS All-StarTyrone Marshall, 2005 MLS All-StarGreg Vanney, 2006 MLS All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year and member of the Radio Shack Best XIBobby Boswell, and goalkeeperJeff Cassar – FIU's first player to appear in theEnglish Premier League.[3]
Kremser briefly retired as FIU coach in 2002, after its soccer program was closed in favor of a newfootball program. The decision was reversed the next day, following alumni protest. Kremser remained at FIU for five more years, before leaving his post in 2007. Kremser's assistant coach and former FIU three time All-American,Munga Eketebi, took over.[9]
Kremser left FIU as the 17th most successful coach in NCAA Division I men's soccer history, with a 337–210–41 career record. He posted a 324–171–41 mark at FIU, guiding the Panthers to 24 winning seasons. His teams recorded 10-or-more-victories 14 times in his final 17 years.[3]
