Former University of Hartford head men's soccer coach, Dan Gaspar, left the Hawks in 2011 after six seasons at the helm to pursue coaching at the international level. In 2014, his pursuit of his career goal has reached the pinnacle as he will be on the sideline with the Iranian National Team as an assistant coach at the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In six seasons with the Hartford Hawks, Gaspar compiled a 36-46-21 overall record while leading the program to three consecutive America East Tournament appearances in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Under his tutelage, 19 student-athletes garnered America East All-Conference honors, six of which were first team members. Highlighting the list of conference honorees is Matt Glasear who was named the league’s goalkeeper of the year in 2007.
Gaspar has had several news outlets cover his journey with Iran, including a great piece by CNN where he discussed the changes for both he and his family when he decided to take the job under friend and head coach, Carlos Queiroz.
Iran will appear in the World Cup for just the fourth time in country history in 2014. Gaspar has also had stints with the Portuguese National Team and the NY/NJ Metrostars (now the New York Red Bulls) of the MLS.
Gaspar admitted to being nervous about taking the position in Iran at first in the CNN story written back in October of 2013.
"When we first arrived, we didn't know how to behave and how to react," he said.
He says he learned his impressions of Iran, created mostly by the media, didn't quite match reality.
"When you listen to the news and you read the news, you see things. Sometimes during commercials I step off my couch and look out of the balcony and it's not what I am seeing, it's not what I am reading, it's not what I am hearing."
During his time in Iran, he has met former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But the highlight of Gaspar's Iranian adventure came on the night of June 18, when Iran's national football team recorded a 1-0 win over South Korea to qualify for the World Cup for only the fourth time.
Throughout his six-year tenure, Gaspar was also instrumental in increasing the fan base at Hartford, which for 2008 ranked 39th nationally with an 814 per-game average. Gaspar continued the trend in the following season as the Hawks averaged 778 fans per-game in 2009, ranking 41st in the nation.
After Gaspar left the Hartford program in 2011, Director of Athletics Pat Meiser had this to say,
“Dan has been instrumental in building the brand of Hartford men’s soccer throughout the community.“His leadership and dedication to advancing Hartford men’s soccer will be hard to replace. We wish coach Gaspar the best of luck in his next endeavour.”
There is no doubt Gaspar has continued to be instrumental in building the brand of Hartford and the America East. Next up for the Connecticut native, making his mark on Brazil and the 2014 World Cup.