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Written by Marc Aceves \| Patterson Irrigator
Friday, 06 June 2008
Indoor soccer player looks to take his game north of the border Despite soccer’s relatively low status in the U.S. — falling after football, baseball and basketball on the list of popular team sports on television — Hugo Brambila of Patterson has quietly managed to build an impressive résumé in the sport. Hugo Brambila. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator The 23-year-old Woodland native has enjoyed playing soccer since the age of 2, beginning under the tutelage of his father and ascending through the ranks in high school and college. Now, he plays as an amateur with what could be a bright future ahead of him. Brambila, who manages the Patterson Health and Fitness Club, was recently offered the opportunity to try out for the Premier Arena Soccer League’s United States National Team. “The United States pretty much invented the indoor soccer game,” Brambila said. “This team should have a great chance of winning it all.” Analogically speaking, indoor soccer — a faster-paced, offense-driven version of the traditional pastime — is to regular soccer what the Arena Football League is to the NFL. If he is selected for the team, Brambila would travel north of the border to Montreal, Canada, to compete on the world stage. The tournament will also feature national teams from Brazil, Mexico and, of course, the host country, Canada. Brambila is no stranger to globe-trotting. He traveled across the U.S. and to countries as far as the Netherlands while playing competitive soccer as a teen, and he has also suited up for both the Stanislaus State soccer team and the California Cougars of the Premiere Development League. Brambila also played forward for the Stockton Pumas under coach Bernie Lilavois, helping guide the team to back-to-back championships in the PASL. It was Lilavois who approached Brambila with the chance to audition for the national squad. The coach has helped spawn the careers of soccer greats such as Vicente Figueroa, Enrique Tovar, Dominik Jakubek, Antonio Sutton, Brian Farber and Eduardo Velez. Brambila’s dream, he said, would be to parlay a selection onto the PASL international team into a chance to vie for a spot in Major League Soccer. Eyes on the prize: Patterson resident Hugo Brambila was offered to try out for the Premer Arena Soccer League’s United States National Team. Only 12 of the 24 players who try out for spots will make the tirp to Montreal’s Circuito Mundial tournament. Photo by Elias Funez/Patterson Irrigator “If I make the team, I’m really hoping that it will open some doors for me in other areas of the sport as well,” Brambila said. “I would love to play outdoors, but right now, the opportunity to build some credibility indoors is presenting itself.” The invite to compete in Montreal’s Circuito Mundial tournament isn’t a given — only 12 of the 24 players trying out for roster spots will make the trip — but Brambila remains confident about his chances of representing his country. “There’s a lot of really great players trying out for the team,” Brambila said. “It’s an honor to have been selected to compete for a spot along with them. Still, I like my chances.” What are indoor soccer and PASL? Indoor soccer offers a fast-paced and exciting twist to traditional soccer. Teams play on a smaller space with fewer players to a side, creating a more up-tempo experience for both players and spectators. The ball may bounce off walls, and the traditional “offside” rule is often eliminated completely. Also known as arena soccer, futsal and small-sided soccer, the game is one of the fastest-growing recreational sports in America. Contributing to the sport’s popularity, many parks and recreation districts are offering a variety of indoor soccer programs in their communities. The Premier Arena Soccer League has established itself as the Major Indoor Soccer League’s feeder program. Now entering its 10th year, PASL is the largest international indoor soccer league in the world. The league comprises 48 teams total in the United States (41 teams), Mexico (6) and Canada (1). To reach Marc Aceves at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Set as favorite Bookmark Email This Hits: 172 Comments (0) Subscribe to this comment's feed Write comment Name Email Title Comment smaller \| bigger Subscribe via email (Registered users only) I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.