Lazo Alavanja (born January 18, 1977) is an American former

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player who played as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

for the

Charleston Battery The Charleston Battery are an American professional association football, soccer club based in Charleston, South Carolina, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 1993, the Battery are the oldest continuously operating professional socc ...

of the

USL First Division The USL First Division (USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the second tier of the United States league system. It was organized by the United Soccer League as its premier league for men from 1996 to 2010, above the USL Second ...

and the Chicago Storm of the

Xtreme Soccer League The Xtreme Soccer League (XSL) was an indoor soccer league that began play in December 2008. Four teams from the former Major Indoor Soccer League participated in the first XSL season: the Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition, Milwaukee Wave, and ...

. He played professionally both in traditional and

indoor soccer Indoor soccer or arena soccer is a form of five-a-side football, five-a-side or six-a-side version of minifootball. It is derived from association football and adapted to be played in walled hardcourt indoor arenas. It differs from the FIFA, FIFA ...

, often concurrently.

Youth

Alavanja attended

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

, playing on the men's soccer team from 1995 to 1998. He was a 1996 and 1997 second team All American and a 1998 first team All American. In 1997, he played on the U.S. soccer team at the 1997 World University Games.

Professional

In February 1999, the

Dallas Burn Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

selected Alavanja with the fourth pick in the

1999 MLS College Draft The 1999 Major League Soccer College Draft was held on February 6 and 7, 1999 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The first round of the draft took place on February 6 with the second and third rounds on February 7. The College Draft was followed by th ...

. He spent most of the 1999 season on loan with the Project 40 team. On May 10, 2001, the Burn sent Alavanja to the

Miami Fusion Miami Fusion F.C. was an American professional soccer club based in the Miami metropolitan area. The club competed in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team played from 1998 to 2001. Announced in 1997 as one ...

in exchange for Miami's 2002 and 2003 second round SuperDraft picks. On January 11, 2002,

D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...

took him as the third pick in the 2002 MLS Dispersal Draft. He played the 2002 season with United. On May 9, 2003, the

Indiana Blast Indiana Blast was an American soccer team, founded in 1996. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues, played in the USISL and A-League (1997–2004) until folding at the end of the 2004 season. The Blast played their home games at Ku ...

of the

USL A-League The USL First Division (USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the second tier of the United States league system. It was organized by the United Soccer League as its premier league for men from 1996 to 2010, above the USL Second Di ...

signed Alavanja. The Blast released him on June 9, 2003. In July 2003, he joined the

Cincinnati Riverhawks The Cincinnati Riverhawks were a professional soccer team that debuted in the USISL Premier Development League in 1997 and joined the A-League from 1998 to 2003. They played their games at Galbreath Field in Kings Mills, Ohio, and later at the ...

. On October 14, 2004, the expansion Chicago Storm of the Major Indoor Soccer League signed Alavanja. He spent two seasons with the Storm, being named to the 2004-2005 MISL All Rookie Team. He did not play indoors during the 2006–2007 season and on June 5, 2007, the Storm traded his rights to the

New Jersey Ironmen The New Jersey Ironmen were an American indoor soccer team. They originally joined the Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2007–08 season. When the MISL ceased operations a year later, they joined the Xtreme Soccer League. The team played at ...

in exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 expansion draft. He played twenty-eight games with the Ironmen during the 2007-2008 indoor season. In addition to playing the winter indoor seasons, Alavanja signed with the

of the outdoor

in 2005. In the fall of 2008, he returned to the Chicago Storm, now playing in the

Coach

Alavanja also works as an assistant coach with the University of Illinois Chicago men's soccer team and besides as head coach of the

Sycamore, Illinois Sycamore is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It has a commercial district based and centered on Illinois Route 64. The population was 18,577 at the 2020 census, up from 17,419 at the 2010 census. Sycamore is the county seat of D ...

based Chicago Soccer Academy.

References

External links

MLS StatsCharleston Battery
Living people 1977 births American soccer coaches Charleston Battery players Chicago Storm players Cincinnati Riverhawks players FC Dallas players D.C. United players Men's association football midfielders Indiana Blast players Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer players Major League Soccer players Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008) players Miami Fusion players UIC Flames men's soccer coaches New Jersey Ironmen players People from Schererville, Indiana Sportspeople from Lake County, Indiana Soccer players from Indiana DFW Tornados players A-League (1995–2004) players USL First Division players University of Chicago people MLS Pro-40 players FC Dallas draft picks All-American college men's soccer players American men's soccer players {{US-footy-midfielder-1970s-stub