{{short description|American soccer coach and former player (born 1965)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Use American English|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Steve Trittschuh | fullname = Stephen Trittschuh | image = SteveTrittschuh.jpg | image_size = 180px | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|4|24|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Granite City, Illinois]], U.S. | height = 6 ft 0 in | position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]] | collegeyears1 = 1983–1986 | college1 = [[SIU Edwardsville Cougars]] | years1 = 1987–1988 | years2 = 1988–1989 | years3 = 1989–1990 | years4 = 1990–1991 | years5 = 1991–1992 | years6 = 1992–1993 | years7 = 1993 | years8 = 1994 | years9 = 1994–1995 | years10 = 1995 | years11 = 1995–1996 | years12 = 1996–1999 | years13 = 1999–2001 | clubs1 = [[St. Louis Steamers (1979–88)|St. Louis Steamers]] ''(indoor)'' | clubs2 = Busch Seniors | clubs3 = [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] | clubs4 = [[AC Sparta Prague|Sparta Prague]] | clubs5 = [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] | clubs6 = [[FC Dordrecht|SVV Dordrecht]] | clubs7 = [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] | clubs8 = [[Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–94)|Fort Lauderdale Strikers]] | clubs9 = [[St. Louis Ambush (NPSL)|St. Louis Ambush]] (indoor) | clubs10 = [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] | clubs11 = [[Tampa Bay Terror]] (indoor) | clubs12 = [[Colorado Rapids]] | clubs13 = [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] | caps1 = 37 | caps2 = | caps3 = | caps4 = 13 | caps5 = 23 | caps6 = | caps7 = 23 | caps8 = | caps9 = 31 | caps10 = 22 | caps11 = 6 | caps12 = 98 | caps13 = 64 | goals1 = 5 | goals2 = | goals3 = | goals4 = 1 | goals5 = 2 | goals6 = | goals7 = 7 | goals8 = | goals9 = 1 | goals10 = 3 | goals11 = 2 | goals12 = 11 | goals13 = 7 | totalcaps = 317 | totalgoals = 39 | nationalyears1 = 1987–1995 | nationalteam1 =[[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] | nationalcaps1 = 37 | nationalgoals1 = 2 | manageryears1 = 1989 | manageryears2 = 2002–2006 | manageryears3 = 2015–2019 | manageryears4 = 2020 | managerclubs1 = [[SIU Edwardsville Cougars]] (assistant) | managerclubs2 = [[Colorado Rapids]] (assistant) | managerclubs3 = [[Colorado Springs Switchbacks]] | managerclubs4 = [[Saint Louis FC]] | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}} <small>(as player)</small> {{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup|1991]]}} {{Medal|RU|[[CONCACAF Championship]]|[[1989 CONCACAF Championship|1989]]}} {{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|Soccer]]}} }} '''Stephen "Steve" Trittschuh''' (born April 24, 1965) is an American [[Association football|soccer]] coach and former player who most recently served as head coach of [[USL Championship]] side [[Saint Louis FC]]. As a player, he played as a [[defender (association football)|defender]] in the [[MISL I|Major Indoor Soccer League]], [[American Professional Soccer League]] and [[Major League Soccer]]. He also earned thirty-eight [[cap (sport)|caps]] with the [[United States men's national soccer team]] including one game at the [[1990 FIFA World Cup]].
==Player==
===Youth=== Trittschuh is a native of [[Granite City, Illinois]]. He played at Granite City High School North for the Steelers under former U.S. national coach [[Bob Kehoe]]. He earned All State honors his junior and senior year and was a Parade Magazine All American as a senior. Coming out of high school, he was heavily recruited by several top schools, but selected [[Southern Illinois University Edwardsville]] which he attended on a full ride soccer scholarship. He played for four years for SIUE, scoring 12 goals and assisting 11 others. He earned second-team [[All-America]]n honors his junior year and first team his senior year. He was a 2011 inductee into the [[SIU Edwardsville Cougars|SIUE]] Athletic Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.siuecougars.com/hallfame/classof2011.html|title = SIUE}}</ref>
===Professional=== In 1987, the [[St. Louis Steamers (1979–88)|St. Louis Steamers]] selected Trittschuh in the second round of the [[MISL I|Major Indoor Soccer League]] draft. He played one season with the Steamers, then filed for free agency in April 1987 when the Steamers ceased operations.<ref>"SEVEN STEAMERS FILE FOR FREE AGENCY SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH" ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)'' Wednesday, April 27, 1988</ref>
That summer, he played for the [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S. national team]] as it prepared for and then played at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]].<ref>"TRITTSCHUH EARNS BERTH" ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)'' Friday, August 5, 1988</ref> In October 1988, the [[United States Soccer Federation]] signed American players to the national team. Trittschuh was among fourteen players signed by the USSF.<ref>"U.S. forms permanent national soccer team" ''St. Petersburg Times'' Friday, October 28, 1988</ref>
From the spring of 1988 through the spring of 1989, Trittschuh played for the amateur Busch Seniors of St. Louis when not playing for the Olympic or national teams.
On May 4, 1989, he signed on loan with the [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] of the [[American Soccer League (1988–89)|American Soccer League]].<ref>"Rowdies find help, sign three veteran players" ''St. Petersburg Times'' Friday, May 5, 1989</ref><ref>[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1989/statsasl89.htm#TB 1989 Tampa Bay Rowdies]</ref> He continued with the Rowdies as the team played in the newly formed [[American Professional Soccer League]].<ref>[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1990/statsasl90.htm#TB 1990 Tampa Bay Rowdies]</ref>
In 1990, his career took an unexpected turn. Trittschuh played a single game for the [[United States men's national soccer team]] at the [[1990 FIFA World Cup]] in a 5–1 loss to [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]]. While the national team was thrashed, Trittschuh caught the attention of the Czechoslovakia's assistant coach, the head coach of Czech powerhouse club [[AC Sparta Prague|Sparta Prague]]. Sparta Prague offered Trittschuh a contract, which he accepted. At the time the Soviet Union and its eastern bloc allies, including Czechoslovakia were transitioning from communism to democracy. This brought an exceptional level of turmoil which also affected professional soccer in the region. As a result, eastern teams were searching for talent to replace players who were moving to play in Western Europe.<ref>"Second Chance ...Czechs Didn't Give Up On Trittschuh" ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' Saturday, August 18, 1990</ref> Trittschuh was one of just three foreign players in the [[Czechoslovak First League]] in the 1990–91 season, alongside Zambian [[Timothy Mwitwa]], who also played for Sparta Prague, and [[Aleksandr Bokiy]] of the USSR, who played for [[SK Sigma Olomouc|Sigma Olomouc]].<ref name="idnes18">{{cite news |last1=Novák |first1=Miloslav |title=Když byli Trittschuh a Mwitwa exoti. Teď Sparta složí tým jen z cizinců |url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/sparta-cizinci-zahranicni-hraci-v-sestave.A180730_164339_fotbal_min |access-date=2025-09-09 |work=idnes.cz |date=2018-07-31 |language=cs}}</ref> While Trittschuh played only a single season for Sparta Prague, he helped them win their league championship. He also became the first U.S. player to play in the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]].<ref name="idnes18"/>
At the end of the season, he returned to the Rowdies for two seasons.<ref>[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1991/stats91.htm#TB 1991 Tampa Bay Rowdies]</ref><ref>[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1992/stats92.htm#TB 1992 Tampa Bay Rowdies]</ref>
In the fall of 1992, Trittschuh signed with Dutch club [[FC Dordrecht|SVV Dordrecht]]. As he recounts it, he was in competition with two Finnish players for a spot on the club and he won. He became a regular starter for the team, but towards the end of the season the club ran out of money and stopped paying Trittschuh, so he returned to the U.S.
In the spring of 1993, he rejoined the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
On April 6, 1994, he moved to the [[Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–94)|Fort Lauderdale Strikers]] of the [[American Professional Soccer League]].<ref>"STRIKERS SIGN SIX PLAYERS" ''Miami Herald'' Thursday, April 7, 1994</ref>
On November 30, 1994, he signed with the [[St. Louis Ambush (NPSL)|St. Louis Ambush]] of the [[NPSL II|National Professional Soccer League]] (NPSL).<ref>"VETERAN DEFENDER TRITTSCHUH SIGNS WITH AMBUSH" ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' Thursday, December 1, 1994</ref><ref>[http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl95.txt NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS – 1994–1995] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903221618/http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl95.txt |date=September 3, 2013}}</ref> That year he earned another championship when the Ambush took the NPSL crown.
In 1995, he moved to the [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] of the APSL. In 1995, the new U.S. soccer league, [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) approached Trittschuh about joining the league. He agreed but had to buy out the final year of his contract with the Impact, for $10,000. When he left the Impact, he finished his APSL (now [[USL First Division]]) as a 5 time all star.
In November 1995, he joined the [[Tampa Bay Terror]] of the NPSL.<ref>[http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl96.txt NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS – 1995–1996] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927231247/http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl96.txt |date=September 27, 2007}}</ref>
In 1996, Trittschuh joined the new [[Colorado Rapids]]. In 1997, the team reached the [[MLS Cup 1997|1997 MLS Cup]], falling to 2–1 to [[D.C. United]]. He had a solid three seasons with the Rapids playing in the sweeper position. At the beginning of the 1999 season, Rapids coach [[Glenn Myernick]] moved [[Marcelo Balboa]] into the sweeper position. As a result, through the first 8 games of the 1999 season, Trittschuh never left the bench.
On June 14, 1999, the Rapids traded Trittschuh to the [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] for midfielder/forward Guillermo Jara.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[The Tampa Tribune]]|author=Ward, Bill|title=Mutiny revive Trittschuh's career|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/tampatribune/access/42515955.html?dids=42515955:42515955&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+19%2C+1999&author=BILL+WARD&pub=Tampa+Tribune&desc=Mutiny+revive+Trittschuh%27s+career&pqatl=google|date=June 19, 1999|access-date=September 22, 2009}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Trittschuh would go on to play 64 regular and post-season games for the Mutiny.
In 2001, he retired from active playing and was hired by the Colorado Rapids as an assistant coach, serving for four years and leading the reserve team to the 2006 MLS reserve title.
As of 2013, he is the technical director of Denver's Colorado Storm youth team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/2012/03/what-ever-happened-to-steve-trittschuh.html|title = What Ever Happened to: Steve Trittschuh| date=March 19, 2012 }}</ref>
===National team=== Trittschuh also had a long and successful national team career. In 1987, he was selected to play for the [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S. national team]]. He made his national team debut against Egypt at the [[1987 President's Cup]]. He also played for the national team at the [[1987 Pan American Games]].
In 1988, he was a member of the U.S. team which went 1–1–1 at the [[Seoul Olympics]]. As previously mentioned, he was a member of the U.S. team at the [[1990 FIFA World Cup]] and played the full 90 minutes in their opening game against Czechoslovakia.<ref>{{FIFA player|44702|Steve Trittschuh}}</ref> He was also a member of the [[1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup|1991 Gold Cup]] championship team. In 1995, he played his last game with the national team, against [[Saudi Arabia national football team|Saudi Arabia]].
==Coach== In 1989, Trittschuh served as an assistant coach with the [[Southern Illinois University Edwardsville]] men's soccer team.<ref>"National Players Help Collegians" ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' Saturday, October 21, 1989</ref> In 2003, he became an assistant coach with the [[Colorado Rapids]].
He was named head coach of [[United Soccer League|USL]]'s [[Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC]] in advance of their inaugural 2015 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uslsoccer.com/home/794077.html |title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) |access-date=March 13, 2014|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140313164247/http://uslsoccer.com/home/794077.html |archive-date= March 13, 2014}}</ref>
In January 2020, Trittschuh was named head coach of [[Saint Louis FC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1075260 |title=CHANGE AT THE TOP: Trittschuh Appointed at STLFC |website=uslchampionship.com |date=January 4, 2020 |access-date=January 4, 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.nasljerseys.com/MISL/Players/S/Trittschuh.Steve.htm MISL stats]
{{Saint Louis FC coaches}} {{Navboxes |title= United States squads |bg= white |fg= #002868 |bordercolor= #BF0A30 |list1= {{United States squad 1988 Summer Olympics}} {{United States squad 1990 FIFA World Cup}} {{United States squad 1991 North American Nations Cup}} {{United States squad 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trittschuh, Steve}} [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1990 FIFA World Cup players]] [[Category:1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]] [[Category:CONCACAF Gold Cup–winning players]] [[Category:AC Sparta Prague players]] [[Category:All-American college men's soccer players]] [[Category:American expatriate men's soccer players in Canada]] [[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Czechoslovakia]] [[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands]] [[Category:American men's futsal players]] [[Category:American Professional Soccer League players]] [[Category:American Soccer League (1988–89) players]] [[Category:American men's soccer players]] [[Category:Colorado Rapids players]] [[Category:Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC coaches]] [[Category:Czechoslovak First League players]] [[Category:Eredivisie players]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Czechoslovakia]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands]] [[Category:FC Dordrecht players]] [[Category:Men's association football defenders]] [[Category:Footballers at the 1988 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994) players]] [[Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players]] [[Category:Major League Soccer players]] [[Category:Montreal Impact (1992–2011) players]] [[Category:National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) players]] [[Category:Footballers at the 1987 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Pan American Games footballers for the United States]] [[Category:Olympic soccer players for the United States]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Granite City, Illinois]] [[Category:Soccer players from Illinois]] [[Category:SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer players]] [[Category:St. Louis Ambush (1992–2000) players]] [[Category:St. Louis Steamers (1979–1988) players]] [[Category:Tampa Bay Mutiny players]] [[Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993) players]] [[Category:Tampa Bay Terror players]] [[Category:United States men's international soccer players]] [[Category:American soccer coaches]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]