Soccer has taken Yael Averbuch around the world. As a professional soccer player she has played for both Swedish and Russian teams internationally, and has played for both Washington and New Jersey in the States. As a member of the United States women’s soccer team she has competed with and against the best in the world.
And now her soccer career has brought her to Kansas City.
Averbuch is the newest free agent to join FC Kansas City, Kansas City’s representative in the National Women’s Soccer League, the highest level of soccer for females in the country. The 2015 season has just kicked off and Averbuch is the club’s newest midfielder.
“I am very excited to be here,” Averbuch said. {mprestriction ids="1,3"}“I was playing for the Washington Spirit and my contract ran out. I was contacted by this team (Kansas City) and it was a really good fit. I knew it was a good organization and they were run really well. I knew this was a good place to be.”
It was a long journey that brought Averbuch to Kansas City. Averbuch has traveled to many different countries, both as a soccer player and not, including traveling to Israel when she was a kid. Every country approaches soccer in a different way, but she says the passion for the game is always there.
“No matter where I go in the world, people love their soccer,” Averbuch said. “I have had lots of great experiences in so many places, and I can thank soccer for much of that.”
Originally from New Jersey, soccer first took her to college. During her career as a center midfielder at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Averbuch was named national player of the year by both Soccer Buzz and Top Drawer Soccer. She was named a first-team All-American on the Jewish Sports Review’s 2006 Women’s College Division I All-America Soccer Team and was also honored in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum on April 29, 2007.
Though soccer took her away from her home, it has also been responsible for her rediscovering some of her roots. Born to Jewish parents, Averbuch says she didn’t encounter many other Jewish soccer players when she started. That changed when she signed with the Swedish team Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC and her roommate on the team was Jewish. She and her roommate’s eyes were opened to the Jewish culture of a different place.
“It was in Sweden, that was the first time I really connected to the Jewish community of a place,” Averbuch said. “The community really embraced me and made me feel that I was welcome. I met a lot of great people there that I immediately felt a connection to.”
Averbuch says she felt that connection because of their shared faith. Now when she travels to a new place, she will seek out the local Jewish community.
“I can travel anywhere on the planet and I am not alone,” Averbuch said. “That is a great feeling. No matter where you go, you can feel like you are home.”
Now new to the Kansas City area, Averbuch is starting to get a feel of the local Jewish community.
“I have never lived in Kansas City before, but I am really enjoying it,” Averbuch said. “I am looking forward to getting out there and doing some soccer coaching for kids and meeting some more people.
Professional soccer has long been Averbuch’s goal.
“I always wanted to be a soccer player, for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I remember telling my mom when I was 9 years old that I wanted to be a professional soccer player, even though at the time I had no idea what that meant.”
Averbuch is excited to play this season with a winning club. FC Kansas City was the National Women’s Soccer League champions in 2014. As the defending champs, Averbuch knows the pressure is on for this season.
“I just want to do my part to help this team win,” she said. “We know it will be tough, but we want to bring another championship to Kansas City.”
Averbuch will be a free agent again at the end of the year. She is not sure what the future holds but is optimistic about her time here.
“With Sporting Kansas City, and our team, Kansas City has really embraced soccer and I love that,” she said. “I’ve lived a lot of places, but I can really see staying here for a long time.”
FC Kansas City plays their games at Swope Soccer Village Championship Field. For more information on the team and their schedule of games visit www.fckansascity.com.{/mprestriction}
