ISHOF Mourns the Passing of Gordon Jago

The Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame was saddened by the news today that ISHOF Coach Gordon Jago has passed away at the age of 92.

Jago won three championships as head coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Dallas Sidekicks before moving to the Sidekicks front office. He later became commissioner of the World Indoor Soccer League and ultimately returned to the Sidekicks again in the broadcast booth after the team was resurrected in 2012.

His contributions to indoor soccer are numerous, including signing Tatu to play for the Rowdies in 1981. Jago later became the original coach of the Sidekicks in 1984 and brought Tatu with him. The Sidekicks would go on to win the 1987 MISL Championship, which was the best-attended playoff series in indoor soccer history, with sellout crowds in both Dallas and Tacoma.

Jago served on the ISHOF Selection Committee from its founding in 2011 and was himself elected in 2013.

Beyond his contributions to indoor soccer, Jago was a beloved figure. The first word that comes to anyone's mind when describing him is "gentleman." 

"I respected him so much that I always wanted to call him Mr. Jago," said Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame Director Sydney Nusinov. "He was so kind and approachable you couldn't help falling in love with him. He was always willing to help with anything, and whenever I saw him I always walked away feeling lighter and brighter.

"This is a really sad day for me, personally, but I'll always treasure his memory. We have lost one of the true greats."