| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Zipp | ||
| Date of birth | (1963-09-07)September 7, 1963 (age 62) | ||
| Place of birth | United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder /Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1980–82 | Seattle Sounders(indoor) | 2 | (0) |
| 1981 | Washington Diplomats | 0 | (0) |
| 1982 | Seattle Sounders | 0 | (0) |
| 1984–1985 | F.C. Seattle | ? | (0) |
| 1986–1988 | San Jose Earthquakes | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Robert Zipp is a retired U.S.soccer player who currently serves as a youth soccer referee.
Zipp attendedO'Dea High School inSeattle, Washington where he was a four-year varsity letterman on the boys' soccer team. He was also a two-year letterman on the football team. Additionally,Parade Magazine selected Zipp as a high schoolAll-American soccer player in 1980 and 1981. After graduating from high school, he was drafted in the first round of theNorth American Soccer League (NASL) draft. Records don't show which team drafted him. However, in 1981, Zipp was a member ofWashington Diplomats.[1] Zipp then played the 1981-1982 NASL indoor season with theSeattle Sounders; however, he never appeared in an outdoor game with the Sounders.[2] The Sounders folded at the end of the 1983 NASL season and in 1984, Zipp joinedF.C. Seattle for the F.C. Seattle Challenge '84. This four team round-robin series pitted F.C. Seattle, an independent local Seattle “super club” against theNew York Cosmos,Vancouver Whitecaps andMinnesota Strikers.[1] F.C. Seattle was largely stocked with ex-NASL players put out of work by the disintegration of the NASL.
In 1985, F.C. Seattle joined with several other independent west coast clubs to form theWestern Soccer Alliance (WSA). Zipp continued with the team this season, becoming the team captain after former captainJeff Durgan was released following the team's game with theCanadian national soccer team.[2] In 1986, Zipp moved to theSan Jose Earthquakes. He remained with the Earthquakes through the 1988 WSA season, after which the Earthquakes folded.[3]
Since retiring from playing professionally, Zipp has remained active as a youth soccer referee. He is currently an AYSA referee coordinator.[3] In 2004, O’Dea High School inducted Zipp into the school's Athletic Wall of Honor.[4]