Bob Stetler was an American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Bob Stetler
Personal information
Full name Robert Alan Stetler
Date of birth (1952-10-10)October 10, 1952
Place of birth East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Date of death July 1990 (aged 38)
Place of death United States
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1974 East Stroudsburg Warriors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1976 Tampa Bay Rowdies 4 (0)
1975–1976 Tampa Bay Rowdies (indoor) 2 (0)
1977–1979 Washington Diplomats 12 (0)
1980 Memphis Rogues 27 (0)
1980–1981 Phoenix Inferno (indoor) 1 (0)
1981 San Jose Earthquakes 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Youth

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Stetler graduated from Stroudsburg High School where he was a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association wrestling champion. He began his college career with Huron College before transferring to East Stroudsburg State University his junior year where he both played soccer and wrestled. He was a 1974 Third Team and 1975 Second Team Division II All American wrestler.[1] In 1974, he placed third in the 158 lb. division of the NCAA Division II national championship.[2]

Professional

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In 1975, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League. He spent the 1975 season as an amateur, then turned professional in 1976. Settler did not play during the 1975 indoor season, but did appear in two games during the Rowdies' championship 1976 indoor campaign, starting one of them. He saw time in four outdoor games, mostly as late game substitutes to Arnie Mausser.[3] The Rowdies released him just before the 1977 season.[4] In April 1977, he signed as a free agent with the Washington Diplomats. In the fall of 1977, the Diplomats sent him on loan to the Memphis Rogues for the indoor season, but a hand injury kept him out of any games. The Diplomats then traded him to the Rogues where he played 27 games during the outdoor season. In the fall of 1980, he moved to the Phoenix Inferno of the Major Indoor Soccer League. In 1981, he finished his professional career with the San Jose Earthquakes.

He died in a car accident in July 1990. At the time he owned the club, Rumours in the Gap.[5]

References

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