A product of the powerful Milwaukee Bavarian Soccer Club of the 1970's
and 80's, Kris Klassen was a part of teams that won four state
championships and back to back Midwest Cup titles. In 1986 he scored
the winning goal to help the Milwaukee Serbians win his fifth and
final state championship and established himself as the first player
to score the winning goal in three state championship games. His
career consisted of playing on several teams in their inaugural
season. Shorewood High School and Cardinal Stritch College at the
amateur level and in 1981 he led the nation in scoring for college
players with 30 goals in 14 games.
Other first year clubs he played for included the Ft. Wayne Flames,
the Dayton Dynamo, the Buffalo Blizzard and the Milwaukee Wave of
professional indoor soccer.
In 1984 he was selected for TEAM USA Indoor and participated on their
six game tour which helped launch the American Indoor Soccer
Association. It was from this tour that he was drafted by the
Milwaukee Wave and became the first player signed in team history.
He finished up his playing career in 1995 with the Chicago Power in
the National Professional Soccer League and the Milwaukee Rampage of
the A-League. In 1998 he became the first ex-pro player to officiate
games in the indoor league he played in.
He is a published author and in 2006 his book, SOCCERROCK, was released.
Having played every position on the field at a professional level,
including goalkeeper, he is considered one of the most exciting
forwards Wisconsin has ever produced. On March 8th, 2014, Kris Klassen
was elected into the Wisconsin Soccer Hall of Fame held at Lambeau
Field in Green Bay.
