| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1963-12-14)December 14, 1963 (age 61) | ||
| Place of birth | San Jose, California, U.S. | ||
| Date of death | (2024-05-11)May 11, 2024 | ||
| Place of death | Los Angeles, California, United States | ||
| Height | 6’2 | ||
| Position | Midfielder/Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Mount Pleasant | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1982 | Portland Timbers | 0 | (0) |
| 1982–1983 | Golden Bay Earthquakes (indoor) | 8 | (0) |
| 1983 | Golden Bay Earthquakes | ||
| 1984 | Jacksonville Tea Men | ||
| 1984–1986 | Kalamazoo Kangaroos (indoor) | ||
| 1985–1986 | San Jose Earthquakes | ||
| 1986–1987 | Milwaukee Wave (indoor) | 31 | (18) |
| 1987 | Tampa Bay Rowdies (indoor) | ||
| 1988 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1 | (0) |
| 1988 | Orlando Lions | ||
| 1989 | San Francisco Bay Blackhawks | ||
| 1990–1991 | Salt Lake Sting | (14) | |
| 1991 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 10 | (7) |
| 1992 | Colorado Foxes | 7 | (0) |
| 1992 | Miami Freedom | 5 | (2) |
| 1998 | California Jaguars | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| U.S. U-20 | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Derek Sanderson is an American retired soccer player who played professionally in eight leagues including theNorth American Soccer League,Major Indoor Soccer League andAmerican Professional Soccer League. He played three games for the U.S. at the1983 FIFA World Youth Championship.
In 1982, Sanderson graduated fromMount Pleasant High School. That year, thePortland Timbers selected Sanderson in the fourth round of theNorth American Soccer League draft.[1] However, Sanderson never cracked the first team. In the fall of 1982, he moved to theGolden Bay Earthquakes as they competed in theMajor Indoor Soccer League. He remained with the Earthquakes for the 1983 North American Soccer League season, but spent much of the season with theUnited States men's national under-20 soccer team. In 1984, Sanderson moved to theJacksonville Tea Men of theUnited Soccer League. That fall, he joined theKalamazoo Kangaroos of theAmerican Indoor Soccer Association. In 1985, he rejoined the Earthquakes, now playing in theWestern Alliance Challenge Series.[2] In the fall of 1985, Sanderson rejoined the Kangaroos, beginning the season in Kalamazoo before being traded to theMilwaukee Wave halfway through the season. In the summer of 1986, he again played for the Earthquakes.[3] That fall, he rejoined the Wave for the 1986–1987 AISA season.[4] In February 1987, the Wave sold his contract to theTampa Bay Rowdies.[5] He remained with the Rowdies as they played an independent outdoor season in 1987. In 1988, he began theAmerican Soccer League season with the Rowdies, but was released on April 30, 1988, to free up a roster spot for Mark Kane. A week later, he signed with theOrlando Lions.[6] In 1989, Sanderson returned to Northern California to join theSan Francisco Bay Blackhawks.[7] In 1990, he played for theSalt Lake Sting in theAmerican Professional Soccer League which had been formed by the merger of the Western Soccer Alliance and the American Soccer League.[8] In 1991, Sanderson began the season with the Sting but moved to theFort Lauderdale Strikers after the Sting experienced financial difficulties.[9] That season, he was a First Team All Star.[10] On April 9, 1992, Sanderson signed with theColorado Foxes.[11] After failing to score in seven games, the Foxes sent him to theMiami Freedom.[12] In 1998, he came out of retirement to play one game for theCalifornia Jaguars.
In 1983, Sanderson played for theUnited States men's national under-20 soccer team at the1983 FIFA World Youth Championship.