Shavar Thomas

Shavar Thomas

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Personal information
Full name	Shavar Thomas
Date of birth	(1981-01-29) 29 January 1981
Place of birth	Hannah Town, Jamaica
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1997–1999	Hotchkiss Bearcats
1999–2001	Hazard United
2001–2002	Connecticut Huskies
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003	Dallas Burn	15	(1)
2004–2006	Kansas City Wizards	76	(2)
2007	Los Angeles Galaxy	0	(0)
2007–2009	Chivas USA	63	(0)
2010	Philadelphia Union	1	(0)
2010–2011	Sporting Kansas City	19	(0)
2012	Montreal Impact	15	(0)
2013	Fort Lauderdale Strikers	9	(0)
International career‡
1999–2001	Jamaica U20	10	(0)
2003–2004	Jamaica U23	5	(0)
1999–2012	Jamaica	52	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 6, 2013 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 3, 2011

Shavar Thomas (born 29 January 1981 in Hannah Town) is a Jamaican footballer who most recently played for Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the North American Soccer League.

Career

Amateur and college

Thomas played as a youth for Hazard United in Jamaica and at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. He played college soccer at the University of Connecticut. He played two seasons, 2001 and 2002, and was named an NSCAA second team All-American his sophomore year.

Professional

After that year, Thomas entered the 2003 MLS SuperDraft, where he was selected 10th overall by Dallas Burn. Thomas struggled in his first year, often appearing raw, but finished the season with 14 starts and 1252 minutes for the Burn. In the offseason, Thomas was traded to Kansas City Wizards in exchange for Eric Quill and Carey Talley. In his second year, Thomas established himself as a solid defender, playing center back for one of the league's best defensive teams. He finished the season with 1880 minutes in 22 starts. Thomas continued as a starter in 2005 and 2006. On 23 March 2007, Thomas was traded to Los Angeles Galaxy for a conditional second-round draft pick. On 3 May 2007, he was traded to Chivas USA for a second-round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.

Thomas was selected by Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft on 25 November 2009. He was traded to his former club Kansas City Wizards on 30 June 2010 in exchange for two MLS SuperDraft picks and allocation money.

Thomas remained with Kansas City through the 2011 season. At season's end, the club declined his 2012 contract option and he entered the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Thomas was not selected in the draft and became a free agent.

Thomas signed with new MLS franchise Montreal Impact on 20 January 2012. On 2 November 2012 Montreal announced that Thomas would not be returning to the club in 2013. He entered the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft and became a free agent after going undrafted in both rounds of the draft.

In 2013, Thomas was invited to D.C. United's training camp as a trialist, but wasn't offered a contract. It was announced on 11 March 2013 that Thomas signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the NASL's Spring season.

After leaving Fort Lauderdale, Thomas went on trial with Brunei DPMM of the S.League in November 2013.

International

Thomas appeared for the Jamaican U-20's in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina and looked poised to break into a major role with the Jamaican national team, while captaining the 2004 Olympic squad. He currently has 49 caps, and has represented the team at every level.

He captained the Jamaican team to the 2010 Caribbean Championship in Martinique.

Achievements

CD Chivas USA

• MLS Supporters' Shield
  • Runners-up (1): 2007

• MLS Western Conference
  • Winners (Regular Season) (1): 2007

Kansas City Wizards/Sporting KC

• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (1): 2004
• Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship (1): 2004

Jamaica

• Caribbean Cup Winner (2): 2008, 2010

See also

• List of current MLS players

External links

• MLS player profile

Sporting positions
Preceded by Ricardo Gardner	Jamaica national football team captain 2011–	Succeeded by Incumbent