Josh Rife
Encyclopedia
Josh Rife is an American
soccer player who currently plays for the Milwaukee Wave
in the Major Indoor Soccer League
and the Charlotte Eagles
in the USL Professional Division.
, and attended Denton High School
, where he was a varsity starter all four years. He played club soccer for the Texas Longhorns, a Dallas based soccer club, from the age of nine until he was eighteen years old. At the age of eleven he toured Norway, Sweden, and Denmark with a Venezuela
n youth team and played in a series of tournaments where he garnered local and national attention.
He played two years of college soccer
at Texas Christian University
as a starting defender, before transferring to Indiana University
in 2000 to pursue a higher level of play under legendary coach Jerry Yeagley
. During his two years at Indiana Rife started 46 matches, was awarded first team All-Big Ten Selection in 2000 and 2001 and first team NSCAA
All-Region selection in 2001, and helped the team to two College Cups, the Big Ten Tournament in 2001, and the 2000 regular season championship.
of the USL Professional Division in 2003, where he has remained ever since. He helped the team win the USL2 Championship in 2005, and was named USL-2 Defender of the Year in 2006. Charlotte has reached its league championship game five times since 2004.
in the Major Indoor Soccer League
. During his 2009 - 2010 season, he was named Second Team All MISL and MISL Defensive Player of Month in January and March. Rife led the MISL with 36 blocked shots and he played all 20 games scoring 11 goals and tallying 28 points. He previously played for the indoor teams Philadelphia KiXX
and Detroit Ignition
. He signed with the Philadelphia KiXX
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
on November 4, 2005, after a successful trial with the team the previous October, and went on to be named to the 2006 All-MISL Rookie Team. On October 19, 2006, KiXX traded Rife to the Detroit Ignition
of the Xtreme Soccer League
in exchange for Don D'Ambra
. While with the Detroit Ignition
Josh was named the Xtreme Soccer League Defensive Player of the Year. He led the XSL with 31 shot blocks as Detroit won the league championship.
national title.
The head coach, Jose Gomez
, is Rife's former Charlotte Eagles teammate.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who currently plays for the Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
and the Charlotte Eagles
Charlotte Eagles
Charlotte Eagles is an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL Professional Division.
Youth and College
Rife grew up in Denton, TexasDenton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
, and attended Denton High School
Denton High School
Denton High School is a high school located in Denton, Texas. Denton High was the first high school to open in Denton. It has since moved three times. DHS was established in 1884. In 1910 Denton High School moved to what is now Calhoun Middle School...
, where he was a varsity starter all four years. He played club soccer for the Texas Longhorns, a Dallas based soccer club, from the age of nine until he was eighteen years old. At the age of eleven he toured Norway, Sweden, and Denmark with a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n youth team and played in a series of tournaments where he garnered local and national attention.
He played two years of college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
as a starting defender, before transferring to Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 2000 to pursue a higher level of play under legendary coach Jerry Yeagley
Jerry Yeagley
Jerry Yeagley was the coach of the Indiana University men's soccer team from 1973 to 2003. His teams won six NCAA Championships and a Division I record 544 games...
. During his two years at Indiana Rife started 46 matches, was awarded first team All-Big Ten Selection in 2000 and 2001 and first team NSCAA
NSCAA
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America is an organization of American soccer coaches founded in 1941. The NSCAA has grown from a handful of college soccer coaches to more than 22,000 members, making it the largest coaching organization in the world. Its members coach at all levels of...
All-Region selection in 2001, and helped the team to two College Cups, the Big Ten Tournament in 2001, and the 2000 regular season championship.
Professional
Rife signed with the Charlotte EaglesCharlotte Eagles
Charlotte Eagles is an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL Professional Division in 2003, where he has remained ever since. He helped the team win the USL2 Championship in 2005, and was named USL-2 Defender of the Year in 2006. Charlotte has reached its league championship game five times since 2004.
Indoor Soccer
Rife plays professional indoor soccer with the Milwaukee WaveMilwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
. During his 2009 - 2010 season, he was named Second Team All MISL and MISL Defensive Player of Month in January and March. Rife led the MISL with 36 blocked shots and he played all 20 games scoring 11 goals and tallying 28 points. He previously played for the indoor teams Philadelphia KiXX
Philadelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
and Detroit Ignition
Detroit Ignition
The Detroit Ignition is a dormant American indoor soccer team that has played three seasons, most recently 2008-09.In April 2006, Greg Bibb, president of Hantz Group Sports and Entertainment, introduced the teams as a new Major Indoor Soccer League expansion team. They played at the Compuware...
. He signed with the Philadelphia KiXX
Philadelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
on November 4, 2005, after a successful trial with the team the previous October, and went on to be named to the 2006 All-MISL Rookie Team. On October 19, 2006, KiXX traded Rife to the Detroit Ignition
Detroit Ignition
The Detroit Ignition is a dormant American indoor soccer team that has played three seasons, most recently 2008-09.In April 2006, Greg Bibb, president of Hantz Group Sports and Entertainment, introduced the teams as a new Major Indoor Soccer League expansion team. They played at the Compuware...
of the Xtreme Soccer League
Xtreme Soccer League
The Xtreme Soccer League 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 New Jersey Ironmen...
in exchange for Don D'Ambra
Don D'Ambra
Don D'Ambra is a retired American soccer forward who currently coaches the Saint Joseph's University men's soccer team.-Youth:...
. While with the Detroit Ignition
Detroit Ignition
The Detroit Ignition is a dormant American indoor soccer team that has played three seasons, most recently 2008-09.In April 2006, Greg Bibb, president of Hantz Group Sports and Entertainment, introduced the teams as a new Major Indoor Soccer League expansion team. They played at the Compuware...
Josh was named the Xtreme Soccer League Defensive Player of the Year. He led the XSL with 31 shot blocks as Detroit won the league championship.
Coaching
Rife joined the PBA Sailfish in 2008 as Assistant Coach for the men's team. In 2010, the team won the National Christian College Athletic AssociationNational Christian College Athletic Association
The National Christian College Athletic Association is an association of approximately 100 Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada which see collegiate sports primarily as an opportunity for Christian fellowship and ministry. The national headquarters...
national title.
The head coach, Jose Gomez
José Gómez
Jose Gomez or Gomes may refer to:*José Horacio Gomez, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles*José Gómez Ortega, Spanish bullfighter*José Miguel Gómez, Cuban general*José Gómez , Cuban boxer*José Gómez , Mexican distance runner...
, is Rife's former Charlotte Eagles teammate.