California State University Sacramento - Statesman Yearbook (Sacramento, CA)

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Ron Preble Helps Head Soccer Out Of The Doldrums With just two minutes left in the game, No. 21 of CSU, San Francisco hit and sent No. 11 of CSUS, Ron Preble, crashing to the hard ground. Preble landed on his hip causing him to walk with a slight limp and sit very careful- ly. Sounds like a good football tackle, right? Wrong. This hit took place on a soccer field. Twenty-year-old Preble, who plays for the CSUS men’s soccer team, learned to dribble while other children were taking their first wobbly steps. ‘I guess you could say | was born with a soccer ball at my feet,’’ Preble said. Preble’s first experience with organized soccer came at the young age of eight. He played for a team coached by his father who played semi-pro soccer in Scotland and Puerto Rico. Preble completed his last two years of high school in Maryland where, his junior year, he was awarded All County First Team and vot- ed Most Valuable Player. In his senior year he was once again honored with All County First Team, and two newspapers in Baltimore and Washington D.C. named Preble All Metro. During Preble’s senior year, he was nominat- ed to the All State Team. With all these outstanding accomplishments under his belt, Preble moved to Elk Grove where he attended Cosumnes River College. There he achieved repeated successes. In just two soccer seasons, Preble made All League First Team, All Northern Cal, was a scholar athlete, and was again named MVP. Preble’s decision to transfer to CSUS was based on the soccer program's new coach. “| used to play against Dean Wurzberger’s team and had developed a great respect for his soccer tactics. When | heard he was the new soccer coach for CSUS, | decided to play for his team,” Preble said. “Ron Preble’s an excellent player, athlete, and leader. He’s what every coach likes to see in an athlete,” Wurzberger said. With such enthusiastic support from his coach it is no wonder Preble is the captain of his team. To fill the captain’s shoes, Preble continually strives to b e at his best, to moti- vate and lift up his teammates and to be where he is needed. In reflection of Preble’s accomplishments as captain, Wurzberger said, ‘Preble encourages the players through his actions and words. He has a positive atti- tude that helps to keep the team up.” ““A successful soccer player is someone who considers himself a student of the game. Soccer is a very skillful artistic game that requires a lot of confidence,’’ Preble said. He displays his skill as an athlete in the position of center mid-field. “‘Center mid-fielder is to soccer what a quarterback is to football. My job is to distribute the ball. It's my responsi- bility to get the ball, then successfully give it away,’’ he added. Preble is captain of a group that contains no outstanding “‘super stars’’ but plays well as a team. “This year has been a tremendous building period for the team. It’s amazing how the players have really come together and jelled as a team,’’ he said. THE CSUS men’s soccer team is packed with talented players. So far the team has proved its competitiveness and skill with a solid re- cord of 7-7-4. The team’s mutual goal is to win next year’s National Playoffs. Represent- ing his team’s outlook, Preble said, “Next year we're going to be incredible! We're gonna do it!’ (from 11 5 85)

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