Peter Chandler 1978; 1981 (id)

Peter Chandler was born April 9th, 1953 in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He attended Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts where he played as a forward on the men’s soccer team during the early 1970s. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He later attended the University of South Florida where he earned a master’s degree in physical education.

The expansion Hartford Bicentennials, signed Peter for the 1975 season, after he walked into their tryout camp unannounced. While he was a forward in college, the Bicentennials moved him to defense. He made his NASL debut on April 25th, coming on as a substitute against the Miami Toros away. He would appear in 14 games that season.

Peter played three games with the U.S. national team. All three came in the August 1974 Mexico City Cup. His first game was a 3-1 loss to Costa Rica on August 19th, 1975. The team then lost to Argentina two days later and finished with a 2-0 loss to Mexico on August 24th.
In 1976, he continued in defense, this time making 17 appearances. In addition to his regular teams, Peter was part of an NASL All Star team, called Team America, which competed with the national teams of Italy, Brazil and England in the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial Cup. After the 1976 season, the Bicentennials moved to New Haven, Connecticut and adopted the name, the Connecticut Bicentennials. Peter played 9 games of the 1977 season with Connecticut. The team moved again at the end of the season, this time to Oakland, California. However, Peter did not remain with the team, but signed with the Rowdies for the 1978 season as a free agent. After finishing teaching obligations, joined the team in June. Made his Rowdies debut at home to the Rochester Lancers on June 25th, coming on as a substitute. Broke his right tibia only four games into his Rowdies' career in the July 4th game away to the Lancers. After an entire year spent in rehabilitation he was given the green light for training at the end of July 1979.

On the very first day out, he fractured the same break and and spent the ensuing months in a second period of rehabilitation. It wouldn't be until the 1980-81 indoor season, that Peter finally pulled the Rowdies jersey on again, he would go on to make 13 appearances. Peter seen second from the left, entered the educational career field, after retiring from playing professional soccer. He has served as a high school physical education teacher, athletic director and soccer, basketball and baseball coach. He is currently the head coach of the boys’ soccer team and an assistant with the girls’ soccer team at Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette, Colorado. In 2005, he took his boys’ team to the 2005 Colorado Class 3A State championship.
In 1989, Peter and his wife Jeri, had quintuplets. All four of those were girls who now play on the Peak to Peak Charter School soccer team. Here is a photo of Peter's family which was taken in the Saturday Night Live (Green Room). His family was a contestant on "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" which aired October 2008. L to R: Peter, Heidi, Joshua, Amanda, Meagan, Emily (Quintuplets), Zach (oldest) and his wife Jeri.

Thanks to Peter Chandler for the photos.