Dan Calichman
Dan Calichman is a retired American soccer player born in 1968, known for his role as a midfielder and defender.
He began his professional career in Japan, becoming the first American to play in the J-League with Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Calichman captained the LA Galaxy for three seasons and earned All-Star recognition in 1996.
Biography
Early Life
Daniel Jacob Calichman, born in 1968, is an American soccer player and coach known for his contributions to the sport both on and off the field. He began his soccer journey at Williams College, where he distinguished himself as a three-time NCAA Division III All-American, showcasing his talent and dedication to the game.
Professional Career
Calichman's professional career kicked off in Japan, where he made history as the first American to play in the J-League, starting with Mazda in the Japan Soccer League before moving to Sanfrecce Hiroshima. After returning to the United States in 1995, he played for the Boston Storm and New York Centaurs in the A-League. In 1996, he joined the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer (MLS), where he captained the team for three seasons and earned All-Star recognition. He later played for the New England Revolution, San Jose Earthquakes, and Charleston Battery before retiring in 2001.
International Experience
Calichman also represented the United States men's national soccer team, earning two caps in 1997. His international experience further solidified his reputation as a skilled defender and midfielder.
Coaching Career
After retiring from professional play, Calichman transitioned into coaching, starting as the head coach of the men's soccer team at Claremont McKenna College in 2002. He later served as the director of player development for LAFC Chelsea and held assistant coaching positions with Toronto FC and LA Galaxy, continuing to influence the next generation of soccer players.
Collected from open sources (2) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Career & Clubs
College
Calichman played college soccer at Williams College, where he was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American.
Professional
Calichman began his professional career in Japan, first for Mazda in the Japan Soccer League in 1990 and 1991, and then for its successor Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the newly formed J. League Division 1 in 1992 and 1993. Calichman became the first American to play in the J-League. In 1995, he moved back to the United States and played for Boston Storm and New York Centaurs in the A-League. In 1996, Calichman was allocated to Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. He captained the team for three seasons, earning All-Star recognition in 1996, until a trade to New England Revolution before the 1999 season. He ended his MLS career splitting 2000 between the Revs and San Jose Earthquakes and spent 2001 in the A-League with Charleston Battery. He retired from competitive soccer at the end of the 2001 season. Calichman held the captain armband for the Earthquakes when John Doyle wasn't in the lineup. Calichman was honored by the Galaxy in a pre-game match ceremony on April 4, 2009.
International
Calichman was capped two times for the United States national team, both in 1997.
In 2002, Calichman was appointed as head coach of the men's soccer team at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. In 2007, Calichman also became the director of player development for Southern California-based youth soccer organization LAFC Chelsea. The club later became part of first the New York Cosmos and then the Chivas USA academy setups. From 2014 until 2020, he was an assistant coach for the Major League Soccer team Toronto FC under head coach Greg Vanney. In 2021, he moved to LA Galaxy to serve as an assistant coach.
- Club
- New England Revolution (1999–2000)
- Club
- Boston Storm (1994–1994)
- Club
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1990–1993)
- Club
- San Jose Earthquakes (2000–2000)
- Club
- Charleston Battery (2001–2001)
- Club
- LA Galaxy (1996–1998)
- Club
- United States men's national soccer team (1997–1997)
- Club
- Williams Ephs men's soccer
- League
- Major League Soccer
- National team
- United States
Clubs
- Williams Ephs men's soccercurrent
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima1990–1993
- Boston Storm1994–1994
- LA Galaxy1996–1998
- United States men's national soccer team1997–1997
- New England Revolution1999–2000
- San Jose Earthquakes2000–2000
- Charleston Battery2001–2001
Played together with
A. J. DeLaGarzaLA Galaxy · 2009–2016
- Abel XavierLA Galaxy · 2007–2008
Adam BuksaNew England Revolution · 2020–2022- Akihiro SatoSanfrecce Hiroshima · 2005–2010
- Akinobu YokouchiSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1986–1995
- Akira KawaguchiSanfrecce Hiroshima · 1993–1994
Alberto QuinteroSan Jose Earthquakes · 2016–2016- Alexi LalasLA Galaxy · 2001–2003
- Alexi LalasNew England Revolution · 1996–1997
Anderson LopesSanfrecce Hiroshima · 2016
Anderson Patric Aguiar OliveiraSanfrecce Hiroshima · 2017
Andreas GörlitzSan Jose Earthquakes · 2014–2014
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Daniel Jacob Calichman is an American soccer coach and retired player. He played as a defender and is an assistant coach for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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