Just for kicks: Albuquerque Soccer League invites all

When Albuquerque Soccer League officials say the organization is interested in attracting players of any age or skill level to participate, that’s no exaggeration.

Retirees are encouraged to apply, for there already are players in their 70s competing. Kids as young as 17 can fit in, too. And the welcome mat is there even for folks who have never set foot on a soccer field but are looking to give the game a chance and to enjoy the camaraderie of being part of a team.

After all, for many in the ASL the warmest memories of game days come when play has stopped and it’s time for socializing.

At the opposite end of the team spectrum are some strong squads composed of players who have a rich history in the game. The men’s open division has players with international and/or pro experience. Another ASL squad has a host of ex-Lobo women’s players. Included is Lana Melendres, a captain on UNM’s 1998 and 1999 teams.

Thus, players of all skill levels have a chance to find a home in this 11 vs. 11 format. There’s also 7 vs. 7 play in summer and winter.

As of Friday there were a total of 50 teams in the men’s, women’s and coed divisions, but as ASL president Maria Adkison said. “That’s frustrating because before COVID we had 120.”

First-hand knowledge

Adkison, 44, who played at Highland High School, competes with both a coed and women’s team. She knows all about how important the social aspect is as well as being on a competitive team.

“With my women’s team, we’d sit after the game at the park and we’d watch the next game and just hang out and everybody would bring a little cooler,” she said. “My sister plays mostly for the social event of it.

“It’s a fun social hour where we’ll laugh about the goal that bounced off somebody or how bad we lost or how great we played.”

Also playing primarily for that reason is Adkison’s 65-year-old father. He’s on a coed team with Adkison and three other family members.

“He’s fun,” Maria said. “On our team, we cheer each other and have a good time. I think that’s mentally what keeps him going. He’s even got two knee braces on and he does this walk/jog thing to warm up where we all make fun of him.”

Added Adkison: “I enjoy playing with people who are enjoying themselves with just that edge of competitiveness.”

A team with clout

One of the formidable ASL teams in recent years has been the Oldies but Goodies, an all-women’s squad in the coed division. Those coed teams usually feature five men and a minimum of five women per side, not including the goalie.

How rare is it then to not have men on a coed team?

“I hesitate to say there are no other all-women’s teams in coed, but if there are, there are very few,” Adkison said. “I can’t find any in my quick requests to other leagues that I know of. I would be surprised if women elsewhere had the same idea.

“That team is often in the top two or three in our coed league, where we have about 30 teams. They are fun to play and they know what they’re doing. They are a phenomenal team.”

Said team manager Melendres: “There were times before we were in coed, when we were in the women’s division, that other teams didn’t want to show up and play us. But after games women would sometimes come up to us and say, ‘You guys are awesome’. But you might also get a gentleman who would not be so happy.

“Then about four years ago we proposed going to coed because we wanted a good level of competition. We knew we might end up losing all our games, but it was worth it to have tough competition.”

That team finished with an 8-6 record last year, outscoring foes 52-31.

Still at it in his 70s

Jim Abram joined the league in 1978, a year after its inception, At age 71, he played for the Rogues in the men’s open division last season. Abram is the second oldest player in the ASL.

“I started out as a striker,” he said of his early career, and then added half-joking, “now I’m a ‘left out.’”

Of course, that’s not true because, because like all players in the league he gets to play in every game (as a defender), according to an unwritten rule teams abide by. And, of course, he enjoys the socializing aspect.

Helping him to stay in shape is that he also works as a referee for league games.

Just don’t ask him to recall the last time he scored a goal:

“Oh gee, this is embarrassing. I can’t remember, but I know it was before COVID.”

International flavor

One of the better men’s players in the league is Josh Belle, 37, who grew up in London, Ontario, and played in Ireland for University College Dublin Association Football Club while going to medical school.

He’s a center half and a member of the Team Canada Medical Football unit that just finished 10th in the 24-team World Medical Football Championships, its best performance in the 30-year history of the event.

Three years ago he relocated to Albuquerque and, like Abram, also was a member of the Rogues last year.

“I have bounced around a few teams here trying to find a home,” he said. “The ASL has some very good players, which I think is a testament to the culture in Albuquerque and New Mexico in general. Having (pro) USL and NCAA teams here, too, seems to ensure the player pool always has some real quality.”

Want to join the fray?

The ASL season includes 17 games, running from Sept. 7 through Oct. 26, and March 1 through April 26. All games are scheduled to be played at the Bernalillo Soccer Complex.

Players can pay for the full season up front for $220, or register for just the fall session with an initial $100 to get on the field with a payment plan that brings the grand total to $125 for fall and $125 for spring. For information, visit aslsoccer.com.