 Garcia in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nick Garcia | ||
| Date of birth | (1979-04-09)April 9, 1979 (age 46) | ||
| Place of birth | Plano, Texas, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1998 | Dallas Texans | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–1999 | Indiana Hoosiers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2007 | Kansas City Wizards | 224 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | San Jose Earthquakes | 36 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Toronto FC | 36 | (0) |
| Total | 296 | (1) | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 1995 | United States U-17 | 2 | (0) |
| 1999 | United States U-20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | United States | 6 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 23, 2010 ‡ National team caps and goals as of April 4, 2010 | |||
Nick Garcia (born April 9, 1979, inPlano, Texas) is an American former professionalsoccer player.
As a junior and senior atBishop Lynch High School in Dallas, Texas, Garcia helped his high school win their first 2 TAPPS state boys soccer championships in 1996 and 1997. He was selected to the all-district, all-state and all-tournament teams. Garcia won the 1996–97Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award, as well, while starring for Dallas Texans youth club. Garcia playedcollege soccer atIndiana University, leading Indiana to the consecutivenational titles in 1998 and 1999, and was namedAll-American in his final season. Garcia was also named the Soccer America National Freshman of the year while at Indiana University and won the 1999 NCAA Defensive MVP in the College Cup Tournament.
Garcia signed withProject-40 and MLS in 2000, and was drafted second overall (behindSteve Shak) in the2000 MLS SuperDraft by theKansas City Wizards.
Garcia subsequently played in – and started – 224 games for the Wizards between 2000 and 2007 and helped the Wizards win theMLS Cup in2000, and theUS Open Cup in 2004.
He joined theSan Jose Earthquakes as their captain upon their return to MLS in 2008. In early 2009 Garcia signed a multi-year contract with San Jose,[1] but was traded (along with the rights to Canadian internationalAli Gerba) toToronto FC on June 9, 2009, for a third round pick in the2010 MLS SuperDraft.[2]
After the2010 MLS season Toronto declined Garcia's contract option and he elected to participate in the2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Garcia became a free agent in Major League Soccer when he was not selected in the Re-Entry draft.
Garcia played in the 1997World Youth Championship inEcuador and captained the US Under-20 national team at theWorld Youth Championship inNigeria in 1999. Garcia earned his firstcap for the fullnational team on January 18, 2003, againstCanada. So far, he has amassed six caps for the United States.
After retiring, Garcia returned to Kansas City. He worked as an On-Air TV Host forSpectrum Sports for several years. He now serves as executive director of Sporting Brookside[3] and is a professional match evaluator forMajor League Soccer.
Garcia is married to his wife MeLinda. They still live in the Kansas City area with their 3 children.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Kansas City Wizards captain 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | San Jose Earthquakes captain 2008 | Succeeded by |