Joey Gjertsen

Joey Gjertsen

256px Gjertsen vs Philadelphia, September 2010
Personal information
Full name	Joseph Gjertsen
Date of birth	(1982-06-13) June 13, 1982
Place of birth	Tacoma, Washington, United States
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Seattle Sounders FC U-23
Number	7
Youth career
2001	Tacoma Titans
2002	Yavapai Roughriders
2003–2004	Evergreen State Geoducks
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	Vancouver Whitecaps	74	(18)
2007–2009	Montreal Impact	66	(4)
2010–2012	San Jose Earthquakes	36	(2)
2015–	Seattle Sounders FC U-23	8	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 29, 2014

Joey Gjertsen (born June 13, 1982) is an American professional soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC U-23 in the USL Premier Development League.

Career

College

Gjertsen started his college soccer at Tacoma Community College where he produced 31 goals and a school record 14 assists in his freshman campaign. He then transferred to Yavapai College where he won a NJCAA national championship. Transferring once again, he enjoyed a successful two-year career at The Evergreen State College, earning All-American honors, All-Region Team and Region I Player of the year honors in 2004. He was named as the Conference Player of the Year, as he led the league with 27 goals in 2003. It was during that same season that he once scored 5 goals and an assist in one game, as well as hitting three consecutive hat-tricks. At Evergreen, Gjertsen holds the record with 54 career goals after spending only two of his four years at the college.

Professional

Gjertsen found instant professional success after signing with Vancouver Whitecaps in 2005. He was named Team Rookie of the Year, earning 27 caps (15 starts) and finding the back of the net three times. 2006 proved to be an even better year for Gjertsen, as he played in all 28 games (26 starts) and led the team in scoring with 31 points (12 goals and 7 assists). He success earned him First Team USL honors, announced in September 2006. On September 29, 2006, Gjertsen was named USL MVP at the league's championship weekend banquet in Rochester, New York. Gjertsen was instrumental in the Whitecaps' first USL-1 championship, won in 2006. His first half cross was deflected into the goal by a Rhinos defender for the first Whitecaps goal, and he assisted on another in Vancouver's 3–0 defeat of the Rochester Rhinos.

Gjertsen was traded to Montreal Impact on July 26, 2007 along with midfielder David Testo for midfielder Zé Roberto and forward Alen Marcina. On October 24, 2007 he signed a two-year deal with the club.

He played an important role by starting all 10 games in Montreal's 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League run, scoring in the first leg of Montreal's preliminary round tie against Real Estelí of Nicaragua, which saw Montreal through to the Group Stage. In the final Group Stage match, Gjertsen scored against Atlante of Mexico in a match which Montreal eventually lost 2–1. He added four assists during this tournament.

In the 2009 USL final he was influential in Montreal's success, scoring the game-winning goal in the second leg of the Championship series against his former Whitecaps.

On January 20, 2010 Gjertsen signed with San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer.

Gjertsen remained with San Jose through 2012 but after missing that entire season due to R. Patellar Tendon surgery he was released on November 28, 2012. Gjertsen subsequently entered the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft and became a free agent after going undrafted in both rounds of the draft.

Honors

Vancouver Whitecaps

• USL First Division Championship: 2006
• USL First Division Most Valuable Player: 2006

Montreal Impact

• USL First Division Championship: 2009

Career stats

Team	Season	League	Domestic League			Domestic Playoffs			Domestic Cup1			Concacaf Competition2			Total
			Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Vancouver Whitecaps	2005	USL-1	29	3	3	2	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	31	3	3
	2006	USL-1	30	12	7	5	2	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	35	13	9
	2007	USL-1	19	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	19	3	1
Montreal Impact	2007	USL-1	10	0	5	2	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	0	5
	2008	USL-1	27	1	5	4	0	1	4	1	2	10	2	4	45	4	12
	2009	USL-1	29	3	0	4	1	1	4	0	0	-	-	-	37	4	1
		Total	144	22	21	17	3	4	8	1	2	10	2	4	179	28	31
San Jose Earthquakes	2010	MLS	18	1	1	-	-	-	1	0	0	-	-	-	19	1	1
	2011	MLS	18	1	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	18	1	3
	2012	MLS	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
		Total	180	24	25	17	3	4	9	1	2	10	2	4	216	30	35

External links

• MLS player profile