It’s quite possible that without Kyle Rote, Jr. there would be no soccer moms. Growing up in Texas, the son of an NFL superstar, everyone expected young Kyle to follow in the family business, but when he began playing soccer at 16, he was on his way to changing sporting allegiances. Before he turned 20, he had given up college football at Oklahoma State University and transferred to the University of the South at Sewanee. It was there where two very important things happened in his life…he continued to develop his soccer skills and he met his wife Mary Lynne.
While at Sewanee, he established the record for the most points per game, season and career in soccer (1969-71). He was also the first soccer player from a Tennessee College to play on the U.S. National Team. And that’s not all, Kyle also found time to break the Conference record in the Javelin and qualify for the Nationals. He graduated from the University of the South in 1972 with a degree in Psychology. Following graduation, Kyle became the number one draft pick in the professional soccer league chosen by the Dallas team owned by Lamar Hunt in 1972. He enjoyed an outstanding career becoming the only American born player to ever win the scoring title in pro soccer.
In his spare time, Kyle became one of only two people to win more than one of the popular, nationally televised Superstars competitions. He won three times over such greats as O.J. Simpson, Roger Staubach, Julius Erving and Sugar Ray Leonard. Today Kyle is a successful businessman, an author, broadcaster and motivational speaker. In 1984, he melded his experience as one of the country’s top athletes with his financial management and marketing skills to found Athletic Resource Management, Inc. He also maintains an interest in civic and sporting activities but has a special commitment to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and to the battle against worldwide hunger.