Recalling a soccer great: the late Walter Chyzowych (06/26/05)

Recalling a soccer great: the late Walter Chyzowych

by Omelan Twardowsky

Soccer is a sphere of human activity that passes very quickly. However, among outstanding soccer players and coaches there are those to whom the term "classic" can be applied because they accomplished so much in their chosen field that their glory lives on long after their departure. Indeed, the late Walter Chyzowych, popularly known by his Ukrainian nickname "Dziukho," was one such individual.

It was 30 years ago, in 1975, that the U.S. Soccer Federation invited Chyzowych to take charge of the coaching staffs of the entire country. September 2004 marked 10 years since the tragic day when Chyzowych suddenly passed into eternity at the age of 57.

Walter Chyzowycz was born on April 20, 1937, in the village of Litovyska, near the town of Sambir in Western Ukraine. As a 6-year-old, he departed to the West with his parents and his two brothers, Ihor and Eugene, in anticipation of imminent Soviet occupation. After five years in Germany, the Chyzowych family emigrated to the United States in 1949, settling in Philadelphia.

Soon after their arrival, his father, Volodymyr, together with other sports enthusiasts established a new sports center, whose name was Tryzub. The first active sports division at Tryzub was soccer, and all three Chyzowych brothers became engaged in it. Young Walter jointed the Tryzub junior team and also played for his high school.

Already at that time he exhibited uncommon talent in this sport, particularly on the offensive line, where he was developing into a first-rate sniper. Having finished high school, Walter enrolled in Temple University, where he joined the soccer team, becoming a top scorer, garnering 25 goals in each of his two seasons. Twice, in 1959 and 1960, he made the All-American team.

In 1957 as member of the Tryzub team he became U.S. amateur vice-champion. In 1960 as member of the Tryzub professional team, he won the U.S. championship and the Dewar Cup. In the two seasons of 1963 and 1964 he played for the Ukraina teams in both Montreal and Toronto, winning the championships of the local leagues.

In 1965 he transferred to the professional Chornomorska Sitch Newark team, where he served as player-coach. Under his leadership, the Sitch team became vice-champion of the American Soccer League and reached the quarterfinal of the U.S. Amateur Cup. In that season he also became the league's top soccer.

In 1969 Walter Chyzowycz transferred to the professional team Spartans of Philadephia, where he played for a few more years.

In 1975 the U.S. Soccer Federation invited him to take charge of the coaching staffs throughout the country, which at that time involved the coaching of over 700,000 youths and children. He introduced a series of teaching seminars for hundreds of coaches from all over the country, thus raising their level, and ultimately helping soccer in America to reach the kind of heights it enjoys today.

At the same time, Chyzowych became also the coach of the U.S. national team, which under his leadership attained for the first time in history a positive result: 65 victories, 21 ties and 44 defeats. After completing his contract with the U.S. Soccer Federation, this Ukrainian coach continued to apply his talents to coaching college teams - Textile College in Philadelphia and Wake Forest in North Carolina. Again, he earned the honors of being named coach of the year while at both schools.

Walter Chyzowych authored a soccer textbook titled "The Officer Soccer Book," and co-authored an illustrated book for self-training, called "One on One." Both were published by the federation.

A special commission of the U.S. Soccer Federation showed its apprecation for the significant contributions of this Ukrainian coach to the growth of U.S. soccer by inducting him into the soccer Hall of Fame and by establishing in his honor "The Walter Chyzowych Soccer Scholarship Fund."

During the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, Walter Chyzowych served as a member of the National Physical Fitness Commission.

| Home Page |