Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Soccer star 'found' in Valencia County

D'Arcangeli signs to play D-1 soccer in North Dakota

Jason W. Brooks News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jbrooks@news-bulletin.com

Belen Candice D'Arcangeli wasn't exactly hiding in Valencia County. However, it took a bit of good luck for her to be "found" by who would become her college coach.

D'Arcangeli, who recently signed a letter of intent to attend North Dakota State University on a soccer scholarship this fall, met that school's women's soccer coach, Pete Cuadrado, at a regional soccer tournament a few years ago. She impressed the coach with her speed and aggressiveness, and was offered a scholarship by NDSU late this spring.

"I've been looking forward to (college soccer) for a long time," said D'Arcangeli, a recent high school graduate who was homeschooled since the seventh grade. "But I never imagined I'd get a Division I scholarship."

The 5-foot-2-inch D'Arcangeli didn't attend high school, so she never played high school sports. But Cuadrado, like a growing number of college coaches in some sports, scouts primarily at the club level for possible recruits and spotted D'Arcangeli when she was playing for the Rio Vista Football Club, which is based in Albuquerque.

"She's got great speed, and she likes to go right at people," said Cuadrado in a phone interview. "We kind of see her playing probably a forward or as a wide midfielder."

NDSU is coming off a 13-7-1 season, its first at the Division I level. The Lady Bison will compete in the Summit League this season, and open with their first five matches at home.

D'Arcangeli, 18, was actually offered another scholarship, receiving a full-ride academic offer to attend Ave Maria University in Naples, Fla. But when the opportunity came up later to play Division I soccer at NDSU, the Belen resident decided she will head for Fargo.

"Soccer's an awesome sport," said the daughter of Audra and Fernando D'Arcangeli. "I don't know any different. I've played lots of sports, but I just built up a love for soccer."

The future Bison player said it was kind of tough being apart from her friends who weren't homeschooled, but she said they were understanding.

"Homeschooling was the best decision my parents could have made for me; it really let me be myself," said D'Arcangeli. "It especially helped me in soccer. I never would have been able to play in a lot of tournaments if I wouldn't have been homeschooled."

This week, D'Arcangeli was at Del Fuego Park in Rio Communities, heading an instructional soccer camp for beginners with the aid of her 16-year-old brother Cameron. She thanked the Belen AYSO region for loaning out equipment to her camp and allowing the camp to gain insurance through the region.

"This is a great sport to use to build character," said D'Arcangeli. "You can learn team play and leadership, and you can impact other people's lives in positive ways."

Playing for the Rio Vista 89s from 2003 to 2005, D'Arcangeli's team won the New Mexico state title in 2005. Switching to another Rio Vista team, Caliente, last season, she played for a state runner-up.

D'Arcangeli said the club route was definitely the way to go for her.

"By choosing one sport and playing it on a club, I was able to focus on soccer year-round," she said. "Clubs are really a great opportunity for players who want exposure on a statewide or even a national level."

Beginning this year, homeschooled athletes will be allowed to participate in one sport per calendar year at the public high school in the area where they reside.

D'Arcangeli said she has been able to take so many classes at UNM-VC, including digital photography, and will enter NDSU with the amount of credits a mid-year sophomore would often have. She plans to major in architecture.

"Early credits helps because you have to complete so many credit hours before applying to certain graduate programs," she said.

The college freshman-to-be sees lots of club sports coming to Valencia County in the years to come.

"Rio Vista is looking to expand down here," she said. "My brother wants to get certified as a volunteer coach, and if there's enough demand, a team can practice all week with a volunteer and play games on Saturdays with a professional coach."

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