Rick Blubaugh
Encyclopedia
Rick Brian Blubaugh is an American
former professional soccer player. He spent four seasons in the Western Soccer Alliance, one in the Major Indoor Soccer League
and one in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
.
, son of Joe and Selva Blubaugh. In 1981 and 1982, he was a starting defender
for the boys U-17 ½ and U-18 ½ Washington state select soccer team. In 1981, Blubaugh, along with Washington teammates Geoff Wall
and Chance Fry
, was tapped to represent the West regional soccer team in a national tournament held at the United States Olympic Training Center
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. The West region team, which comprised future stars Ralph Black
, Dale Ervine
and Paul Caligiuri
, reigned supreme winning the event by vanquishing the East, South and Midwest regions. Upon conclusion of the tournament, Blubaugh was selected as an alternate for the United States Youth National Team.
in Lynnwood, Washington
(1981–1983) where he started three consecutive years as a midfielder
for the erstwhile named Chiefs. In 1982 and 1983, he served as Meadowdale’s team captain and garnered first team All Western Conference (WesCo) soccer honors.
anchoring a talent-laden and nationally ranked San Diego State University
Aztecs men’s soccer team, coached by Chuck Clegg (1984–1985). He returned to Seattle, Washington
the following year and capped off his collegiate career as a three year starting defender
for the nationally ranked University of Washington Huskies men’s soccer team, coached by Ron Carter (1985–1987). During his tenure at Washington, he was named to the All Northwest Collegiate Conference Team in 1986 (2nd team) and in 1987 (1st team). In his sophomore and senior seasons, he was instrumental in leading the Huskies to two Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference titles (1985,1987). In 1988, Blubaugh graduated from the University of Washington
earning a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Psychology
.
for Football Club Seattle which hosted the F.C. Seattle Challenge. This series featured F.C. Seattle squaring off against three North American Soccer League
(NASL
) powerhouse teams (Vancouver Whitecaps
, Minnesota Strikers
, New York Cosmos
) as well as the men’s United States Olympic Team. F.C. Seattle’s roster boasted select high school, college and professional players. The team was coached by former Seattle Sounders
luminaries Jimmy Gabriel
, Tommy Jenkins
, Pepe Fernandez
and Jack Brand
and played its games in Seattle’s Memorial Stadium
. These four contests had a favorable following with the average attendance eclipsing the 6,000 barrier. Also, Blubaugh challenged, guided and encouraged the development of young minds through soccer with former F.C. Seattle Storm teammates Peter Fewing, John Hamel
, Craig Beeson, Eddie Henderson
and Jeff Koch spanning the state of Washington at Peter Fewing Soccer Camps (1985–1996).
for the F.C. Seattle Storm (1986–1989), again with former Seattle Sounder Tommy Jenkins
at the helm, of the newly minted Western Soccer Alliance. The Storm enjoyed a successful campaign overseas in the 1987 Great Britain Tour, locking horns with elite English clubs Middlesbrough F.C.
, A.F.C. Bournemouth
, Portsmouth F.C.
and Queen's Park Rangers F.C., not to mention perennial Scottish power, Dundee F.C.
. 1988 witnessed the Storm secure the top spot in the Western Soccer Alliance regular season standings and, at once, march their way through the playoffs summarily disposing of a talent-laden San Jose Earthquakes
team in the final 5-0, deservedly crowning them Western Soccer Alliance Champions.
(MISL) selected Blubaugh in the fourth round of the 1988 MISL
draft. He signed with the Stars, coached by former Seattle Sounders icons Alan Hinton
and Steve Buttle, and played defender
the 1988-1989 season. In 1995, the Seattle SeaDogs
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
(CISL), signed Blubaugh to play defender
for their inaugural season. The SeaDogs were coached by former MISL great Fernando Clavijo
and Blubaugh’s former Tacoma Stars teammate Brian Schmetzer
.
In the wake of a fruitful career, Blubaugh retired from professional soccer in 1996.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former professional soccer player. He spent four seasons in the Western Soccer Alliance, one in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
and one in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
.
Youth
Blubaugh's roots are traced to Lynnwood, WashingtonLynnwood, Washington
Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...
, son of Joe and Selva Blubaugh. In 1981 and 1982, he was a starting defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for the boys U-17 ½ and U-18 ½ Washington state select soccer team. In 1981, Blubaugh, along with Washington teammates Geoff Wall
Geoff Wall
Geoff Wall is a retired American soccer midfielder who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance....
and Chance Fry
Chance Fry
Chance Fry is a retired U.S. soccer forward who began his career straight out of high school with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. With the collapse of the NASL, he moved to indoor soccer as well as U.S. minor leagues. Since retiring from playing, Fry has become a college...
, was tapped to represent the West regional soccer team in a national tournament held at the United States Olympic Training Center
United States Olympic Training Center
The United States Olympic Training Centers are three campuses created by the United States Olympic Committee as training facilities for its Olympic and Paralympic athletes. They are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Lake Placid, New York; and Chula Vista, California. There is a U.S. Olympic...
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. The West region team, which comprised future stars Ralph Black
Ralph Black (soccer)
Ralph Black is a retired Scottish-American soccer defender who spent most of his career in indoor soccer.-MISL:...
, Dale Ervine
Dale Ervine
Dale Ervine is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who spent most of his career playing indoor soccer. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team between 1985 and 1993.-College:...
and Paul Caligiuri
Paul Caligiuri
Paul David Caligiuri is a retired American soccer player.Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany, and for the U.S. national team...
, reigned supreme winning the event by vanquishing the East, South and Midwest regions. Upon conclusion of the tournament, Blubaugh was selected as an alternate for the United States Youth National Team.
High school
Blubaugh attended Meadowdale High SchoolMeadowdale High School
Meadowdale High School is a high school in the Edmonds School District, located in Lynnwood, Washington. It is sometimes called Meadowdale Senior High School, which is the only difference in the names of Meadowdale Senior High School and Meadowdale High School .The school has 1,560 enrolled...
in Lynnwood, Washington
Lynnwood, Washington
Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...
(1981–1983) where he started three consecutive years as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for the erstwhile named Chiefs. In 1982 and 1983, he served as Meadowdale’s team captain and garnered first team All Western Conference (WesCo) soccer honors.
College
Blubaugh was a freshman starting defenderDefender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
anchoring a talent-laden and nationally ranked San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
Aztecs men’s soccer team, coached by Chuck Clegg (1984–1985). He returned to Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
the following year and capped off his collegiate career as a three year starting defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for the nationally ranked University of Washington Huskies men’s soccer team, coached by Ron Carter (1985–1987). During his tenure at Washington, he was named to the All Northwest Collegiate Conference Team in 1986 (2nd team) and in 1987 (1st team). In his sophomore and senior seasons, he was instrumental in leading the Huskies to two Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference titles (1985,1987). In 1988, Blubaugh graduated from the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
earning a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
.
F.C. Seattle
In the summer of 1984, as a 19-year-old, Blubaugh assumed duties as a defenderDefender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Football Club Seattle which hosted the F.C. Seattle Challenge. This series featured F.C. Seattle squaring off against three North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
) powerhouse teams (Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
, Minnesota Strikers
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers was an American professional soccer team located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The team played one season in the North American Soccer League and 4 seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
, New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
) as well as the men’s United States Olympic Team. F.C. Seattle’s roster boasted select high school, college and professional players. The team was coached by former Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (NASL)
The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...
luminaries Jimmy Gabriel
Jimmy Gabriel
James Gabriel is a Scottish former football midfielder who earned two caps with the Scotland national football team. Chiefly associated with English club Everton, Gabriel played extensively in Scotland and England before ending his career with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer...
, Tommy Jenkins
Tommy Jenkins
Thomas Ernest "Tommy" Jenkins is a retired English footballer. He played professionally in two continents as a gifted winger and is now a soccer coach in the United States.-Early career:...
, Pepe Fernandez
Pepe Fernandez
Cirilo “Pepe” Fernandez was a Uruguayan soccer forward who played one season in the National Professional Soccer League, just over four in the North American Soccer League, one in the American Soccer League and five in the Netherlands....
and Jack Brand
Jack Brand (soccer)
Jack Brand is a former professional soccer goalkeeper. He holds the record for most shutouts in a season in the North American Soccer League with 15 in 1980. He was born in Braunschweig, West Germany. In 2008, Jack was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame-Soccer career:Brand began his...
and played its games in Seattle’s Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Seattle)
The Memorial Stadium in Seattle, Washington, is located in the northeast corner of the Seattle Center grounds. The stadium currently seats approximately 12,000 people. This was expanded to 17,000, during 1974-75, while the Seattle Sounders, of the North American Soccer League, played at Memorial...
. These four contests had a favorable following with the average attendance eclipsing the 6,000 barrier. Also, Blubaugh challenged, guided and encouraged the development of young minds through soccer with former F.C. Seattle Storm teammates Peter Fewing, John Hamel
John Hamel
John Hamel is a retired American soccer midfielder who played three seasons in the Western Soccer Alliance, one in the American Professional Soccer League, one in the Continental Indoor Soccer League and at least one in the Major Indoor Soccer League.-Playing:Hamel grew up in Seattle where he...
, Craig Beeson, Eddie Henderson
Eddie Henderson
Eddie Henderson is a retired U.S. soccer player and current Nevada Director of Youth Coaching. Henderson spent two seasons in the Western Soccer League, one in the American Professional Soccer League, one season in Major Soccer League and seven in the National Professional Soccer League. He also...
and Jeff Koch spanning the state of Washington at Peter Fewing Soccer Camps (1985–1996).
Western Soccer Alliance
Blubaugh was a starting defenderDefender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for the F.C. Seattle Storm (1986–1989), again with former Seattle Sounder Tommy Jenkins
Tommy Jenkins
Thomas Ernest "Tommy" Jenkins is a retired English footballer. He played professionally in two continents as a gifted winger and is now a soccer coach in the United States.-Early career:...
at the helm, of the newly minted Western Soccer Alliance. The Storm enjoyed a successful campaign overseas in the 1987 Great Britain Tour, locking horns with elite English clubs Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and Queen's Park Rangers F.C., not to mention perennial Scottish power, Dundee F.C.
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
. 1988 witnessed the Storm secure the top spot in the Western Soccer Alliance regular season standings and, at once, march their way through the playoffs summarily disposing of a talent-laden San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
team in the final 5-0, deservedly crowning them Western Soccer Alliance Champions.
MISL and CISL
The Tacoma Stars of the Major Indoor Soccer LeagueMajor Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
(MISL) selected Blubaugh in the fourth round of the 1988 MISL
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
draft. He signed with the Stars, coached by former Seattle Sounders icons Alan Hinton
Alan Hinton
Alan Thomas Hinton is an English former footballer who most notably played for Derby County and Nottingham Forest in the 1960s...
and Steve Buttle, and played defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
the 1988-1989 season. In 1995, the Seattle SeaDogs
Seattle SeaDogs
The Seattle SeaDogs are a defunct indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1995 to 1997. They won the last CISL championship in 1997.-History:...
of the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
(CISL), signed Blubaugh to play defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for their inaugural season. The SeaDogs were coached by former MISL great Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Clavijo is a retired American soccer football defender and former head coach of the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. He played three seasons in the American Soccer League, two in the North American Soccer League and ten in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
and Blubaugh’s former Tacoma Stars teammate Brian Schmetzer
Brian Schmetzer
Brian Schmetzer is a retired U.S. soccer player who played in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer League. He coached the Seattle Sounders in the USL First Division for seven seasons, winning two championships. He was the 2002 USL-1 Coach of the Year...
.
In the wake of a fruitful career, Blubaugh retired from professional soccer in 1996.