Ted Eck

Ted Eck (born July 14, 1966, in Springfield, Illinois) is a retired American soccer player who played for numerous clubs in the United States and Canada over a thirteen-year professional career. He is currently an assistant coach with Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer. He also earned thirteen caps with the U.S. national team between 1989 and 1996.

He coached the Ogden Outlaws in the USL Premier Development League. He currently coaches numerous teams for Firebirds FC, a youth soccer club based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Youth and college

Eck was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois, where he attended Sacred Heart-Griffin High School. After graduating, he then attended Western Illinois University where he played as a forward on the men's soccer team from 1984 to 1987. He was named the 1987 Mid Continent Conference Player of the Year.

Early career

In 1988, Eck began an itinerant career when he signed with the Kansas City Comets of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He played with the team through the end of the 1990-1991 season when the team folded. In 1989, Eck also played outdoor soccer during the MISL off season with the Ottawa Intrepid of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL). His twenty-one goals with the Intrepid were best in the CSL and earned Eck a spot on the CSL All-Star team. Eck returned to the CSL, this time with the Toronto Blizzard in 1991. That year Eck scored ten goals, tied for fourth on the league's goals list. The Blizzard made it to the CSL championship before losing to the Vancouver 86ers.