Rick Titus (soccer)

After playing college soccer with the University of Toronto he signed for the Toronto Italia in 1988 of the National Soccer League playing with Italia until 1995.[1][2][3] In 1995, midway through the season he was traded to the Scarborough Astros.[4] During his tenure in Scarborough he helped the club reach the Umbro Cup finals against St. Catharines Wolves, but lost the penalty shootout by a score of 3–0.[5]In 1996, Titus signed with St. Catharines Wolves where he claimed the Umbro cup by finishing first in the cup standings. He featured in the two game finals match against his former club Toronto Italia, but were defeated by a score of 11–0 goals on aggregate.[6]

He began playing indoor soccer in 1996 in the National Professional Soccer League with the Toronto Shooting Stars.[7] During the season he was traded to the Edmonton Drillers, where he would eventually have a noted tenure by playing three separate seasons with the organization.[8][9] Where he became a league all star in the 1999–2000 season, but later was selected by the Buffalo Blizzard in the dispersal draft after the folding of Edmonton.[10] However the Blizzard would fold at the end of the season and the Milwaukee Wave selected Titus in the August 2001 dispersal draft.[11]

In the spring of 1997 he signed for the newly established Toronto Lynx of the USL A-League.[12] In his two year stint he was named the 1997 and 1998 Lynx Defensive Player of the Year. In the winter off season he continued to playing the NPSL with the Montreal Impact in 1997, and was later traded to the Buffalo Blizzard.[13]

In 1998, he went overseas to play for Quan Li, a team managed by former Lynx teammate Gong Leiin China.[14] After a brief stint abroad he returned to the NPSL to play with Philadelphia KiXX for the 1998–1999 indoor season. Titus moved to the Hershey Wildcats for the 1999 A-League season, but was traded midway through the season to Staten Island Vipers for cash and a first round draft pick.[15] On June 13, 2000 Titus signed for the Vancouver 86er, where he was named Vancouver's 2000 Defensive Player of the Year and Second Team All A-League.[16][17][18]In 2001, he was named the A-League Defender of the Year and First Team All A-League.[19]

When the 2000 A-League season came to a conclusion he was loaned out to the Toronto Olympians in the Canadian Professional Soccer League.[20] He made his debut for the club in the Open Canada Cup semi-final match against the Toronto Croatia, which resulted in 3–2 victory for the club in penalties.[21] He appeared in the Open Cup tournament final against his former club St. Catharines, and won the cup in a 1–0 victory.[22] In the postseason he scored the lone goal in the semi-final match against Glen Shields, which advanced Toronto to the finals.[23] In the finals the Olympians where defeated by Toronto Croatia by a score of 2–1.[24][25]

This brought Titus to the attention of Major League Soccer scouts and he signed with the Colorado Rapids as a Discovery Player for the 2002 season. He started all 25 games in which he played, and at the end of the season he was awarded the ADT Defensive Player of the Year award.[26] The Rapids put him on waivers in October 2002. On March 12, 2003, Titus signed a two-year contract with the Charleston Battery, helping them win the 2003 USL A-League Championship.[27] At the end of the season he requested a release from his contract to join the Edmonton Aviators, and signed a three-year contract.[28][29]

Shortly into the season he was released from his contract, and on June 19, 2004, he returned to the Toronto Lynx.[30] After less than a week with the Lynx, he fell out with the management which led his release from his contract by mutual consent on July 7.[31] He then rejoined the Charleston Battery for the remainder of the season.[32] The following season he returned to the Lynx for a third playing stint.[33] In 2006, Titus became team vice-captain, and featured in the Open Canada Cup final against Ottawa St. Anthony Italia.[34]At the conclusion of the season he was named the 2006 Toronto Lynx Most Valuable Player, and was a four-time member of the United Soccer League's team of the week.[35][36]

When the 2006 season ended the Lynx organization decided for financial reasons to drop two divisions to the Premier Development League.[37] Titus was one of few seniors players to remain with the Lynx for the 2007 season, where he was named player/assistant coach for Toronto.[38] In 2008, Titus helped the Lynx reach the playoffs for the first time since 2000, but unfortunately for the Lynx, the Cleveland Internationals scored a late winner to take the game 2–1, sending the Lynx home early.[39]

In 2008, he went on loan to Toronto FC for one game against Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.[40] This was due to Toronto missing nine first-team players due to international duty, and in order to protect his amateur status he was unpaid for his Toronto FC appearance.[41] After the conclusion of the PDL season he returned to the Canadian Soccer League and signed with the York Region Shooters.[42] During his tenure with York Region he helped clinch the International Division title in 2008, and the regular season title in 2010. He was awarded the CSL Defender of the Year award in 2010.[43][44]