Sweat dripped down his forehead as he watched his soccer team put their all into the game, each sound of the ball echoing memories of his past life. Just decades ago, he was the one running down the pitch as an Olympian, the American flag on his jersey, dreams shining bright in his eyes. 

But addiction would soon shatter those dreams, leaving him without a team, without a home – without hope. Now, he stands on the sidelines, coaching notebook in his hands, leading others down a path he fought hard to reclaim. 

Once a celebrated U.S. national team player and Olympian in 1992, Zak Ibsen lost everything to crystal meth addiction, leading to years of addiction which even included a brief period of homelessness living in his minivan. Today, not only is he clean, but he has also returned to the sport he loves as an “A” licensed U.S. soccer coach, guiding elite athletes in MLS Next, the highest level of youth soccer in the U.S.

Ibsen’s love for soccer started at a young age. Growing up in California, he played on the beaches, mastering his element on the sand whilst doing the same on the grass. His career took off after joining the men’s soccer program at UCLA, and by 1992, he had achieved a lifelong dream: representing the U.S. as part of the national and Olympic teams. That success drove him further into Europe, where he played professionally in Germany before eventually returning to the MLS (Major League Soccer) in the U.S.

“Playing in the Olympics and representing the full national team is probably the greatest honor for any player. The highlight of when you get to a certain level is all about winning, so basically my life was all about winning championships, winning games, winning league titles, winning all that stuff,” Ibsen said. 

Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ibsen’s skill and work ethic took him from team to team within the MLS, earning him two MLS Cup championships with Chicago Fire FC in 1998 and San Jose Earthquakes in 2001, one U.S. Open Cup Championship with Chicago Fire in 1998, and one CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Champions Cup with Los Angeles Galaxy in 2001. He became well known as an attack-minded defender with a superior work rate and unmatched fitness level, redefining the role of the outside back as an offensive weapon and a player who could play multiple positions within a team due to his player profile and willingness to fill any role to help the team win. However, amidst the success, cracks began to show.

Behind all the soccer, Ibsen’s life began to unwind when he started using a drug, crystal methamphetamine. 

Crystal methamphetamine is a crystalized, smokable, and more potent form of methamphetamine, a central nervous stimulant that was synthesized as a substitute for ephedrine, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). 

“Most people in their adult life drink and party, so I did that with everybody else in college. Crossing the line to drugs was initially for having fun, but realistically, it was from my childhood trauma, growing up without a dad who was an alcoholic and drug addict himself,” Ibsen said.

Research has shown stimulants, such as methamphetamine, to improve endurance, increase anaerobic performance, decrease feelings of fatigue, improve reaction time, increase alertness, and cause weight loss, according to the Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation Journal. 

“There’s no FDA-approved medication treatment for meth addiction. It’s come down when people stop using it is characterized by severe depression, which can then drive reuse, and it’s just shown to be highly addictive and difficult,” said Anne Lembke, a Stanford University professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. 

With a clinical focus on Addiction Medicine, Lembke highlights the reason for the initiation of drug abuse in athletes.

“Athletes often begin using drugs for performance enhancement, which is why they might gravitate towards stimulants, and they can end up getting into a vicious cycle of feeling like they can’t stop using it,” Lembke said.

Ibsen’s addiction impacted his career, and by 2002, the more he tried to manage his life and career, the more meth took over. This pushed him away from the field and into isolation, where he was eventually left with nothing. 

“I knew that what I was doing wasn’t right. It wasn’t what I wanted to be doing. It didn’t make sense. I was doing drugs while playing as a professional soccer player. Obviously, trying to hide that from people, doesn’t feel right,” Ibsen said. 

Juggling the pressures of a professional soccer career while hiding his addition greatly affected Ibsen, showing the impact on athletes. 

“Long-term use of meth, like long-term use of any severely addictive substance, can lead to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and cognitive decline,” Lembke said. 

Soccer faded from his life as he fell deeper into addiction. 

“I felt like crap. I didn’t like the person I was becoming. I tried to stop many times, but I just couldn’t stop. Once I got into that mode, I realized there was something wrong with me. It’s hard to fix what’s wrong with you at that point in life. I tried in earnest five to six times to stop using drugs. Each time, I would relapse around six months to one year. This cycle lasted around three years of using drugs, stopping to get clean, and then relapsing. Prior to this three-year cycle, I was using drugs and not trying to stop for around five more years. We call it the vicious cycle,” Ibsen said. 

Ibsen lost his home and ended up living in his minivan, struggling to survive. In these years, his life was defined by moments of trying to get clean, however, as he hit rock bottom, it became clear to him that he would need more to break free from meth and rebuild his life. 

“When people started saying I had a problem and I couldn’t stay there anymore, that was a huge wake-up call. At the end of the day, there are not a lot of people who want to have an addict around. There’s just nothing positive about someone who is addicted to drugs,” Ibsen said. 

After around 13 years of struggle, Ibsen was finally able to get clean and sober. His path to recovery wasn’t easy as he needed the support of friends, family, and a rehab program. 

Slowly, soccer began to reappear in his life as he reconnected with friends from the field. Ibsen started familiarizing himself with the discipline soccer brought to him, seeing and using it as more than a career, but instead a tool for redemption.

“He got tired of having a bad life and he hit the bottom, and then he did something about it. He got fed up with the life he was living and you know, he got help and turned it around,” said Andrew Ziemer, a close friend and coaching assistant of Ibsen. 

Over time, Ibsen found his way back into soccer, this time as a coach. Earning his “A” license, he dedicated himself to helping young athletes find their way in the sport. 

“Only 2% to 3% of the coaches in the United States have an “A” license. It’s a five to seven-year process altogether,” Ziemer said. 

Ziemer, who currently works alongside Ibsen at Woodside Soccer Club – WSC Crush, is also a proud possessor of the “A” coaching license. 

“We both had our ‘B’ license, and we applied for the same course without knowing it. Everybody had to go to Arizona for a week, and then we had a two-month developmental period, repeated twice until we finished our final assignment,” Ziemer said. 

Coaching wasn’t just a job for him; it was a chance to rebuild his life while giving back to the sport he loves. As a coach, he brought a unique perspective: teaching not only skills on the field, but also life lessons off the field about perseverance, focus, and second chances. 

His players admire him for his knowledge and dedication. 

Drew Byrnes, a soccer player who formerly played under Ibsen, is currently striving on one of the top MLS Next teams in the country. Alongside three other former players who played under Ibsen, his team, San Francisco Glens, reached the Round of 16 in the MLS Next Cup last season. This achievement ranked his team top 16 in the nation, being the first ever Glens youth team in history to accomplish this in a professional pathway age group. 

“Zak is the epitome of hard work and dedication. The positive example he set for me pushed me every day to be the best I could be, and I couldn’t be more proud to have had him as a coach and mentor for many years. Through his example, I now know that anything is possible and dreams can come true,” Byrnes said.

Ibsen’s comeback story has inspired them, and just his sole presence on the sideline showed them that failure isn’t final if you’re willing to fight for the better. Now, as an elite U.S. coach for MLS Next, the highest competition of youth soccer in the United States, and the Director of Coaching at Woodside Soccer Club – WSC Crush, Ibsen has reached a new level of success. 

Ibsen’s journey from glory to homelessness and back again is an example of human resilience. His return to soccer reminds everyone that just because you fall once, doesn’t mean you can’t get back up. Ibsen uses this to inspire future athletes to focus on more than just winning. 

His story doesn’t end with addiction or homelessness — it ends with a powerful comeback and a new life built on purpose. His story conveys the power of second chances and he continues to coach and inspire the next generation of athletes. 

“You alone can do it, but you can’t do it alone,” Ibsen said.