DAVID SCHIPPER – HAVE SOCCER SHOES WILL TRAVEL
PHOTO: Davis Schipper at Southland SC in New Zealand
Have soccer shoes, will travel.
Former Canadian Soccer League player David Schipper may be anywhere right now, but wherever he is, he is a good candidate for our ‘Where Are They Now’ series of promising former CSL players.
David Schipper was born and raised in the coastal city of San Diego, California, which is real soccer country, enough to stir memories of the high profile San Diego Sockers of the original North American Soccer League. It’s also the team which Canadian explosive striker and member of Canada’s Hall of Fame, the late Mike Stojanovic, played while a member of the Canadian national team and was a staunch supporter of the 2006 launch of Serbian White Eagles in the CSL.
Schipper first made a name for himself playing for Arizona Wildcats at the University of Arizona in Tucson before venturing north to Seattle to play for Seattle Impact in the Major Indoor Soccer League.
It was Mexico, however, where the midfielder, sometimes full back, made his first attempt into professional soccer, a pre-season trial with Ascenso MX side Dorados de Sinaloa, a club just purchased by the more substantial Xolos de Tijuana. That tryout proved to be unsuccessful and was followed with a trip to Cancun for a trial with Atlante who play in the same league, but there also, Schipper was not offered a contract.
Undeterred, the San Diego native returned to his hometown and was signed by the then indoor Sockers to play in the club’s reserve team. Schipper then signed for FC Force at Bonita, California, in the National Premier Soccer League, fourth tier in the United States and it was during this time his ambitions gave thought to Canada.
He ventured north In 2015 and was successful in signing a three-year contract with York Region Shooters of the Canadian Soccer League, playing 56 games, scoring 17 goals through to the 2017 season. He took a diversion during his contract period on loan at the end of the 2015 going to Goiatuba Esporte Clube of Brazil, playing 12 games during Canada’s off season.
York Region Shooters won the regular season First Division title by an impressive 18 points margin over second place FC Ukraine United in 2016, which turned out to be Schipper’s first title win since turning pro. The high flying Shooters, which had conceded just 10 goals during the regular season, was surprisingly eliminated in the semifinal of the championship playoffs, a penalty kicks decision to Hamilton City.
York Region Shooters’ GM and assistant coach John Pacione recalls Schipper as “being a good player who played an important part in what was a successful period for the team. He was also a nice guy – we were pleased to have him,” he explained recently.
Schipper sought and gained a release after two years with the Shooters on receiving offers to play in Europe and signed a one year contract with Albatroz SC of Latvia to gain his second championship when Albatroz won the Latvian Second Division.
Schipper is Jewish, played for Team USA in the Maccabiah Games in Israel in 2017 and from time to time represented the United States in Futsal.
In 2018 Schipper took off for New Zealand to join Southland United in that country’s winter league and a top three finish was the highest in the team’s history. The well-travelled player also has a contract with Southern United FC of New Zealand’s summer league. After flying back to San Diego for surgery following an injury, he has returned to New Zealand and is now in his second season.