Ross Paule (born April 4, 1976) 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 ...

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 ...

, who last played for the

Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew are an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conference. The team began play in 1996 as one of the 10 cha ...

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...

Playing career

Paule moved from Dallas, TX as a youth and joined the Memphis Futbol Club in Memphis, Tennessee. Paule also starred for Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee where he was awarded the Commercial Appeal's Best of the Preps title. Paule played

college soccer College soccer, called college football in some countries, is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. While it is most widespread in the United States, it is also prominent in Japan, South Kore ...

Creighton University Creighton University () is a private research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate ...

, but left only after three seasons, becoming one of the first players to leave college early for a jump to MLS. He was drafted 11th overall by the

Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Founded in ...

in the

1997 MLS College Draft The 1997 Major League Soccer MLS College Draft, College Draft was held on February 1 and 2, 1997 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The draft took place in conjunction with the Umbro Select College All-Star Classic. The first round of the draft took pla ...

, and became a regular right away, a starter by his second season, appearing in 19 games and starting seven. Paule's best year with the Rapids came in 1998, when he tallied ten goals and six assists. He stayed with the team through 2001, running the team's midfield, and was atop the league's assist charts at midseason, when the Rapids traded for midfield maestro

Carlos Valderrama Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio (Colombian Spanish: ; born 2 September 1961), also known as ''"El Pibe"'' ("The Kid"), is a Colombian former professional footballer and sports commentator for Fútbol de Primera, who played as an attacking m ...

. With no place for Paule on the squad, he was dealt to the MetroStars for Steve Shak and a draft pick. Paule spent the rest of 2001 and all of 2002 with the Metros, usually playing—in a new out-of-position role of

defensive midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...

, as mandated by Metro coach

Octavio Zambrano Octavio Zambrano Viera (born 3 February 1958) is an Ecuadorian football coach. He is a former player with international coaching experience. Zambrano has coached in North America, Latin America, and Europe. He holds a UEFA "A" diploma and a USSF ...

. Ross was traded to Columbus prior to the 2003 season for

Chris Leitch Chris Leitch (born April 1, 1979, in Pickerington, Ohio) is an American former soccer player who is currently the general manager and a former head coach for the San Jose Earthquakes. Career College Leitch played college soccer at the Univer ...

and Jeff Matteo and spent the next two seasons there, scoring seven goals in 2004, including a hat-trick against Los Angeles Galaxy. In eight years in MLS, his totals are 31 goals and 41 assists. Paule retired early into the 2005 season because of

post-concussion syndrome Post-concussion syndrome (PCS), also known as persisting symptoms after concussion, is a set of symptoms that may continue for weeks, months, or years after a concussion. PCS is medically classified as a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). About ...

. He then went on to coach a local club, WASA, for the u12A girls team. After his first season with them he moved back to Memphis and is now the executive director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Soccer where he is producing a Soccer Themed New Testament with high-profile professional soccer player testimonies inserted into the New Testament. Each testimony is unique as Paule is connecting the players character trait to a person of faith throughout the Bible. He also is the executive director of newly formed Arlington Soccer Academy in TN.

Career highlights

Ross Paule was inducted into the Creighton University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.

United States National Team

* U17 US National Team (1991–92) * U20 US National Team (1993–95) * US Men's Full National Team Pool Player (1998–2001)

Major League Soccer (MLS)

* Played in MLS Cup Championship as a rookie vs. DC United – 1997 * Top three Rookie of the Year – 1997 * MLS Player of the Month – 1998 * MVP for Colorado Rapids – 1998 * MLS All Star Team – 1998 and 1999 * MVP for Columbus Crew – 2003 * Top three MLS Goal of the Year – 2004

Coaching

Ross has continued with his interest in soccer, serving as a coach and mentor to others, focusing on using his professional experience to develop youth soccer in the US. Ross has been involved in coaching youth soccer at the US National level through the Adidas ESP Program, where he is a Staff Coach since 2006. Adidas ESP is one of the Nation's Top Events for the elite US players ages 12–18. 300+ College coaches and professional scouts attend this event to see the best talent the US has to offer. *

, Assistant Coach (MLS) – 2005 * Memphis Futbol Club Youth Director – 2005 – 2009 * Tennessee Rush Technical Director – 2009 – 2011 * Tennessee Olympic Development Program (ODP) Staff Coach – 2007 * Arlington Soccer Academy Executive Director – 2011 to Present *

Fellowship of Christian Athletes The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is an international nonprofit Christian sports ministry based in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City. History FCA was founded in 1954 by Eastern Oklahoma State College, Eastern Oklahoma A&M basketball c ...

(FCA) Soccer National Director and leading the National Soccer Ministry – 2011 – 2015 * Creighton University Women's Soccer Coach – 2014 – 2023 * Paule was Awarded The Big East Coaching Staff of the Year- 2020

Personal life

In 1997, Ross married Laurie Paule. He has three children, Jorden, Emma, and Rossi. They currently live in Tennessee, where Ross' wife serves as the Director/Owner of the Arlington Recreation Soccer academy with over 600 players. All three of his children play with the Arlington Soccer Academy.

Honors

Individual *

MLS All-Star The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual Association football, soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from another league. MLS initially ado ...

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Paule, Ross 1976 births Living people American men's soccer players Colorado Foxes players Soccer players from Memphis, Tennessee Colorado Rapids players Columbus Crew players Creighton Bluejays men's soccer players Major League Soccer players New York Red Bulls players Major League Soccer All-Stars A-League (1995–2004) players Colorado Rapids draft picks Leaders of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Men's association football midfielders Creighton Bluejays women's soccer coaches American soccer coaches