For more than half a century, DiNobile had a versatile playing and coaching career. It was highlighted by his time with the St. Petersburg Kickers, who made history in 1989 by becoming the first Florida team to capture the U.S. Open Cup, the tradition-rich pinnacle of amateur soccer achievement that began in 1913. The Kickers, comprised mostly of players who once were standouts at Tampa Bay area high-school programs, defeated New York Greek American Atlas 2-1 at St. Louis Soccer Park.

DiNobile, a goalkeeper who had a decade’s worth of experience with the Kickers, was a player-coach and responsible for the squad’s rigorous physical training. How dedicated was this team? Gordon Singleton, who was recovering from knee surgery a few weeks prior, was inserted into the game and scored the overtime game-winner in the 116th minute to avoid a shootout.

In 1990, DiNobile served the same player-coach role with the Kickers, who won the organization’s first National Amateur Cup, a competition that began in 1923.

DiNobile, from Providence, R.I., was a four-year letter winner in soccer (goalkeeper) and baseball (catcher) at Eckerd College. He spent 25 years coaching Eckerd’s men’s soccer team (head coach from 1983-2002) and was a four-time Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year. He served as National Team Goalkeeper Coach (U17/U20) for the United States Soccer Federation and became Director of Operations for the University of South Florida’s men’s program.

In 1975, DiNobile set the NCAA record for the longest soccer goal ever kicked. Eckerd was at Miami, playing soccer on the baseball artificial turf of Mark Light Field. DiNobile stopped a shot on goal, then unleashed a punt that was carried by a howling wind. It dropped in front of the Hurricanes’ goalkeeper, who tried to backtrack after a high bounce off the turf, but the ball went into the net for a 108-yard unassisted goal.