Sockers Sign Veteran Goalkeeper Waltman

OCEANSIDE, CA (Friday, March 21, 2025) - The San Diego Sockers - presented by Kaiser Permanente - today announced the signing of veteran goalkeeper Danny Waltman to a MASL contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Waltman will be in uniform for Saturday night’s match against the Empire Strykers at Frontwave Arena. The move was made possible due to the MASL’s goalkeeper injury clause.

“We are pleased to bring in one of the great goalkeepers of all time in Danny Waltman,” said Sockers general manager Chiky Luna, “Danny will add to what is already one of the strongest goalkeeping groups in the league with Boris Pardo and Xavier Snaer-Williams.”

Waltman, 43, last played in the MASL in the 2022-23 season, when he set the record for career saves in the league with 1,933, a number that has since been passed by Chris Toth and Pardo. His 20-year indoor soccer career began with the Chicago Storm of the MISL in 2004, continuing through Detroit, where Waltman was named 2009 XSL MVP and led the Rampage to the league championship. His career continued through Rockford and Missouri, where he led the Comets to the 2014 MISL championship. After continuing with Kansas City into the MASL for a 20-0 regular season in the 2014-15 campaign, Waltman moved back to his home region of the Pacific Northwest to play eight seasons for the Tacoma Stars. His career marks of 1,933 saves and 9,588 minutes played both rank third in MASL history, while his 87 wins rank sixth.

Waltman announced his retirement from indoor soccer after the 2022-23 season but returns with an opportunity to claim a third individual league championship, while helping San Diego to a record 17th title. He joins a goalkeeping group that includes Pardo, the league’s all-time wins leader (137) who ranks second in the league in goals-against average (GAA) at 4.39 this season. Xavier Snaer-Williams, 25, is 6-1 on the season and his .740 save percentage (SV%) would rank 2nd in the MASL if he had enough minutes to qualify. Pardo has been working his way back from a lower-body injury but is expected to be ready for the playoffs.

The Sockers (17-4) have three matches remaining in the regular season, including home matches Saturday vs Empire and March 30 against the Tacoma Stars. San Diego has already qualified for the 2025 Ron Newman Cup playoffs, which will begin with quarterfinal and semifinal single-elimination action at Frontwave Arena on April 4-6. Tickets for both regular season and playoffs are available at frontwavearena.com.