move into the adult teams. It’s very exciting to do
something like this in Eugene because now the kids have
something they can look up to.”
Ruckaberle explains that Azul presents a unique
opportunity for female soccer players in the region,
women athletes who would otherwise be shut out from
soccer at a competitive level after college. Since Women’s
Professional Soccer has folded, due to a lack of funding,
young women who want to play soccer at a fast-paced
highly competitive level have even fewer options.
So something like the Women’s Premier Soccer
League could actually turn out to be the equivalent of what
minor league baseball would be, were the majors to go
under — except that the WPSL players are not paid
athletes.
“This is entirely new for women in our Eugene
community,” says team coordinator Evon Smith, “whereas
men have always had layers and layers of men’s leagues
that they can play in.”
With sponsors including Market of Choice, Adidas and
EW, Azul is set to take over the Eugene summer nights of
2012. The team’s home games will be hosted at South
Eugene High School’s relatively new turf field, and the
competition is set to be fierce.
“South Eugene is a great location for these games
because people can bike to it, and it’s more central,” Smith
says.
Slidetackles
and Shin Guards
Soccer fans can expect to see an aggressive and spirited
team represent Eugene. Azul is loaded with fiery young
women hungry to further establish this level of play here
at home.
“There are a great deal of very accomplished players on
this team,” Ruckaberle says. “Many have already
committed to playing at Division 1 schools in the fall.”
Ruckaberle and assistant coaches Dave Peterson, Jen
Davin and Joe Beeler oversee the Azul practices with a
tactical attention to team cohesion. Cohesion that’s
occurring pretty naturally, according to Azul goalkeeper
and former UO player Lindsey Parlee.
“We’re lucky because most of these girls have grown
up playing in Eugene, with and against each other and
under these coaches before,” Parlee says.
The age difference among some of the Azul players
poses an interesting challenge for the team, given that it
ranges from 19 to about 24. But forward Jen Stoltenberg,
who is the Azul’s marquee player — having been a
standout at UO who was then drafted by Women’s
Professional Soccer to play for the Philadelphia
Independence, — has a distinctly positive outlook on this.
“The creative dynamic of the team is enhanced by the
age difference,” Stoltenberg says. “I think it makes us even
better and more competitive.”
And competitive may prove an understatement when it
comes to the Azul players. Words like aggressive, tenacious
or gutsy may better describe the team’s overall personality.
Azul plays its first home game Sunday, May 20, against
Oregon Rush. Be there.
For more info on Azul, go to www.emfc.org. Follow Azul results in EW & in real
time on Twitter @eugeneweekly
Head coach JÜrgen Ruckaberle prepares Azul for its first game.
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EUGENE WEEKLY MAY 10, 2012 15