Former USSF Secretary General recognized for his work promoting the game

Hank Steinbrecher, the former Secretary General of the U.S. Soccer Federation and the man who spearheaded American soccer’s surge to international prominence and credibility, has been named the recipient of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Honor Award. The announcement was made at a banquet Friday evening in conjunction with the NSCAA’s annual Convention in Philadelphia, Pa.

Steinbrecher held coaching positions at Warren Wilson University and Appalachian State University in North Carolina before assuming the same position at Boston University. While at BU, he accepted the position of director of the Harvard University soccer venue for the 1984 Olympic Games. The remarkable success of those matches propelled him into the private sector as the marketing director for the Gatorade division of Quaker Oats Co.

In 1990, he assumed the position of Secretary General of the U.S. Soccer Federation, the national governing body for the sport in the United States, a position he held until 2001. During his tenure, he played key roles in attracting and staging the two largest soccer events held in the United States, the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which was won by the U.S. team. In 2005, Steinbrecher was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in the Builder category in recognition of his tireless efforts to promote the sport within the United States and to promote the United States on the international level.

A 1971 graduate of Davis and Elkins College, Steinbrecher also holds a master’s degree from West Virginia University. He currently is president and owner of TouchLine Consultants, Inc., based in Glen Ellyn, Ill. He and his wife, Ruth Ann , have two sons: Chad, a member of the Navy SEALS currently serving in Iraq, and Corey, a professional cyclist who races with Team Jelly Belly.

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