Pali Blues News Release - www.bluessoccerclub.com
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
LOS ANGELES – The Pali Blues are excited to announce that they have signed Sarah Huffman for the 2012 W-League season. The midfielder from Flower Mound, Texas brings valuable experience having played in the W-League, WPS, and overseas in addition to the U.S. youth and senior national teams.
“I have [coached] against Sarah in so many big games over the years while she was with the Freedom and I have always had the greatest respect for her,” said Blues head coach Charlie Naimo. “She is a versatile winner and I know she will be the glue of our group this year.”
Huffman was a star at the University of Virginia, where she developed into one of the country’s best while playing in one of the toughest conferences in women’s college soccer. In 2002, she was named to the ACC All-Freshman team. She also earned All-American honors from the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz in addition to being named MVP by Soccer America in 2004 and 2005.
Huffman has also played for the USA at every level including the full Women’s National Team. She was a member of the U-19 Youth National Team that won the World Championship in 2002, and won the annual Nordic Cup in 2004, 2005, and 2007 with the U-21 program.
Later in 2007, Huffman won a W-League Championship with the Washington Freedom, and fell just short in 2008 against an undefeated Pali Blues team. However, she won a championship in Norway that year with Roa IL, one of the best teams in the Toppserien, where she scored 14 goals in 13 games.
In 2009, she returned to the U.S. to play for the Washington Freedom in WPS and played for them through 2010. She last played for magicJack in 2011, where she helped the team to the semifinals.
Without a WPS season, Huffman is thankful for the opportunity she has to play competitive soccer this year while still living at home.
“I had other options, but at the end of the day, I wanted to live at home, play for one of the top clubs around, and play for a passionate coach and with great players,” she said.
“I am very excited to be a part of the Pali Blues. Charlie always puts together a great team and I'm excited to go after a championship. It will be fun to play in a competitive environment again, and, as always, the goal is to enjoy playing, grow the sport, and win.”