{{short description|Canadian soccer player (born 1977)}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Steve Kindel | image = Steve-kindel-2008-10-12.jpg | image_size = 175 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|2|25}} | birth_place = Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada | height = 5 ft 9 in | position = Left Back | currentclub = | clubnumber = | collegeyears1 = 1995–1997 | college1 = Simon Fraser Clan | collegecaps1 = | collegegoals1 = | years1 = 1997–1998 | clubs1 = Vancouver 86ers | caps1 = 34 | goals1 = 4 | years2 = 1998–1999 | clubs2 = Mons | caps2 = 26 | goals2 = 5 | years3 = 1999 | clubs3 = Richmond Kickers | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2000 | clubs4 = Hampton Roads Mariners | caps4 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2000–2008 | clubs5 = Vancouver Whitecaps | caps5 = 211 | goals5 = 27 | years6 = 2009–2010 | clubs6 = Rochester Rhinos | caps6 = 11 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2010 | clubs7 = Surrey United Firefighters | caps7 = 10 | goals7 = 1<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.surreyunitedsoccer.com/senior/team-statistics/vmsl-premier.htm|title=Surrey United – Team Statistics: 2010–11 Metro Men Premier}}</ref> | nationalyears1 = 1996–1997 | nationalteam1 = Canada U-20 | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 4 | nationalyears2 = 1998–2000 | nationalteam2 = Canada U-23 | nationalcaps2 = 10 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = 1998–1999 | nationalteam3 = Canada | nationalcaps3 = 4 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | medaltemplates = | manageryears1 = 2004–2007 | managerclubs1 = Surrey United Women }}
'''Steve Kindel''' (born February 25, 1977) is a Canadian former soccer player.
==Club career== Kindel was a former standout at Simon Fraser University, where he won the 1997 NAIA Pacific Northwest Conference Player of the Year. He turned pro by signing with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1997 where he would play until 1998. After USL soccer he left for Europe where he had a brief stint with R.A.E.C. Mons of the Belgian Third Division A. The same year he made his debut with the Canada national soccer team, where in total he would earn 4 caps.
Kindel returned to the USL First Division first playing with the Richmond Kickers in 1999, then with the Hampton Roads Mariners in 2000. Midway through the season Kindel returned to Vancouver and re-signed with the club at the USL First Division roster freeze on August 1, 2000. In 2001 and 2002 he finished second in scoring and was named into the Second Team All A-League. the same two seasons he won the Vancouver Gerry Nakatsuka Midfielder of the Year award.
During the 2005 season he was converted into a left back by Bob Lilley. Where he logged 2, 381 minutes only second to Martin Nash. He was also awarded the first ever Jack MacDonald Unsung Hero award. In 2006, he helped the Whitecaps claim their first USL First Division Championship by beating the Rochester Rhinos 2–0. On 12 October 2008 he helped the Whitecaps capture their second USL First Division Championship beating the Puerto Rico Islanders 2–1 in Vancouver<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.whitecapsfc.com/schedule/match10120801.aspx| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081007174801/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/schedule/match10120801.aspx| archive-date = 2008-10-07| title = WhitecapsFC.com – Schedule}} </ref> He was released on 8 December 2008 by Vancouver Whitecaps.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature12080801.aspx|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912105017/http://www.whitecapsfc.com/archive/feature12080801.aspx|url-status=dead|title='Caps part ways with three veterans|archivedate=September 12, 2010}}</ref> On July 23, 2009 the Rochester Rhinos announced the signing of Kindel a one-year deal.<ref>[http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/home/349962.html Rhinos sign veteran Kindel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002165235/http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/home/349962.html |date=2011-10-02 }}</ref> After his releasing by Rochester Rhinos in the USL First Division, he signed with Surrey United Firefighters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.surreyunitedsoccer.com/senior/weekly-roundup-winter-10-11/dec-13.htm|title=December 13 – Surrey United SC}}</ref>
==International career== Kindel played at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia, alongside Paul Stalteri and Jason Bent.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091017102132/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=182010/index.html Record at FIFA Tournaments] – FIFA</ref> He won 10 caps with the Canadian U-23 team.
He made his senior debut for Canada in a May 1998 friendly match against Macedonia and earned a total of 4 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a July 1999 friendly match against Saudi Arabia.
==Coaching career== Kindel was the long time Technical Director of Vancouver United Football Club and its predecessor Dunbar Soccer Association before accepting a Technical Director position at North Vancouver Football Club in the summer of 2012 to present. Both are two of the biggest clubs in western Canada. He also coached the Surrey United Women's Premier team to six consecutive BC Provincial Cup titles and multiple Canadian Club National metals including Gold in 2006. Kindel also has experience coaching various boys elite teams in the Vancouver area. He currently holds a Canadian B National Certificate.
==Personal life== Kindel is of Italian descent.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Crechiolo |first1=Michelle |title=Where You Come From Matters: Ben Kindel |url=https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/where-you-come-from-matters-ben-kindel |publisher=National Hockey League |access-date=November 2, 2025 |date=October 31, 2025}}</ref>
He married Sara Maglio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://heritage.bcsoccer.net/entries/sara-maglio/|title=Sara Maglio|website=BC Soccer Hall of Fame & Heritage Archive}}</ref> Their son, Ben Kindel, was born in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/busy-kindel-enjoying-fatherhood|title=Busy Kindel enjoying fatherhood | Vancouver Whitecaps FC|first=|last=|website=Whitecaps FC}}</ref> Their daughter, Lacey Kindel, was born in 2009.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=56849&teamId=2083|title=Lacey Kindel Profile – Canada Soccer|date=28 January 2020}}</ref>
Benjamin has represented the Canada under-18 ice hockey team. Benjamin currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins after being drafted 11th overall in the 2025 NHL entry draft. Lacey has represented the Canada under-17 soccer team.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/son-daughter-former-vancouver-whitecaps-standouts-represent-canada-hlinka-gretzky-cup-concacaf|title=Son and daughter of ex-Whitecaps represent Canada in soccer and hockey | The Province}}</ref>
==Honors== '''Canada U20''' *CONCACAF U-20 Championship: 1996
'''Vancouver Whitecaps FC''' *USL First Division Championship: 2006, 2008
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105225745/http://rhinossoccer.com/player.php?id=290 |title=Rochester Rhinos bio }} *{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930185110/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2465825/22394-2465947/29411.html |title=USL profile }} * {{Canada Soccer player|id=1725}} *{{sports links}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kindel, Steve}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Soccer players from Burnaby Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Canadian men's soccer players Category:Canada men's international soccer players Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Canadian expatriate men's soccer players Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Category:Simon Fraser Red Leafs men's soccer players Category:Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010) players Category:RAEC Mons (1910) players Category:Richmond Kickers players Category:Virginia Beach Mariners players Category:Rochester Rhinos players Category:USL First Division players Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:ICSF Columbus FC players Category:Simon Fraser University alumni Category:Canada men's youth international soccer players Category:Canada men's under-23 international soccer players Category:Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent