Penn soccer coach draws benefit from U.S. Soccer National Team

For 14 years, Rudy Fuller has been patrolling the sideline at Rhodes Field wearing Penn’s majestic Red and Blue.

But it may have been Fuller’s occasional change to red, white and blue that primed the men’s soccer program for future success.

In 2008, Fuller joined U.S. Soccer’s Under-15 national team camps as an assistant coach — just a year after serving as a scout in the inaugural season of U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy.

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“It’s a real pleasure to coach at that age because at 14 and 15 they’re good enough to pull off the soccer plays you want to see and they’re sponges that want to learn,” Fuller said.

The experience not only helped him work with some of the best soccer players in the country, but also helped create a connection with one of the sport’s deepest talent pools, which included three current Penn freshman — super-sub Agyeman Botchway, goalkeeper Max Kurtzman and leading goal-scorer Duke Lacroix.

Fuller’s rise in the coaching ranks began well before his arrival at Penn, when he achieved tremendous success at the Eastern Pennsylvania and Region I Olympic Development Program. After moving on to the college level, he even took Georgetown to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

His next feat was to resurrect Penn’s soccer program, leading the Quakers to a 2002 NCAA tournament and the team’s first post-season win in 29 years.

Fuller earned recognition around the country as one of the brightest coaching minds. His success and friendship with former longtime U-15 coach and current Princeton coach Jim Barlow helped parlay an appearance at national team camps.

“Helping the U-15 was only three or four weeks a year,” Fuller said. He attended camps as close as New Jersey and as far away as Florida and California.

“[There] wasn’t much of a conflict with what we had here, but it was a tremendous exposure to a higher level and to a group of kids, and [that] has benefited the program.”

Three specific players —Botchway, Kurtzman and LaCroix — shared the experience at the national team camp.

“You feel a lot of pride for your country,” forward Botchway said, speaking fondly about the experience. “You can’t really explain it.”

What the players could articulate was their immediate connection to Fuller and how he was a major reason they came to Penn.

The trio remembered their first encounter with Fuller at a camp in St. Louis where he emphasized drills that focused on their first touch. The camp also fostered friendships, which helped lead Kurtzman and Botchway to commit to Penn together and LaCroix to do so not long after.

“One of the biggest things about him is the way he connects with players,” said goalkeeper Kurtzman, who has posted two shutouts this year.

“He’s not one of those coaches who just coaches us on the field and not off. He’s one of those coaches that cares about what we’re like as people.”

With the hiring of Jürgen Klinsmann as head of the U.S. Men’s National Team and a great deal of turnover ensuing, Fuller was still appreciative of the chance to coach for his country.

“Who knows whether I’ll still be involved or get another opportunity, but the three or four years I did, I thoroughly enjoyed and it’s paid dividends for our program.”

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