Thomas Byer
In 1997, Thomas Byer received the 'Golden Shoe' from Adidas International at the World Cup Draw in Marseilles, France. Based on his contributions to grass roots soccer, he was the first soccer coach - and the first American - ever to receive this prestigious award, which is also given to the outstanding soccer player of the year worldwide.
Tom's soccer career began at Rondout Valley High School, where he was named Mid-Hudson Player of the Year. He continued to play soccer at SUNY Ulster while studying for his Associate in Arts Degree in Liberal Arts: Humanities and Social Sciences, graduating in 1982. Tom later played for the University of South Florida, and was a member of the U.S. Olympic Sports Festival. He later became a professional soccer player, having the distinction of being the first American Professional Soccer player in Asia. After his retirement in 1988 from professional soccer, he formed Kix International, an educational soccer company in Tokyo, Japan.
Tom is the Director of Coerver Coaching Asia, travelling throughout Asia conducting clinics for National Federations to help improve youth development.
Tom is currently a main cast member of 'Ohasuta,' a nationwide daily television program that is the number one children's show in Japan. And, his column for children and soccer coaches is widely-read in Soccer Digest Magazine, which has a weekly circulation of 500,000.
