After playing professional soccer in Germany for the last four seasons, Owensboro native Lucas Stauffer will return to the states to play for Las Vegas Lights of the United Soccer League Championship (USL).
Stauffer was contacted by a friend of the program earlier this year and, after speaking with him, decided it would be the perfect fit. He sent some film to the team, and before you knew it, he was on a call with the team’s consultant structuring a deal.
“It was a great situation for me,” Stauffer said. “It allowed me to return to the U.S., which was important to me. A lot of people think of Las Vegas and think crazy and entertaining, but really, it’s a great place to live with a substantial soccer population.
The Lights compete at the same level as the Louisville City and Memphis Football Clubs, offering friends and family from the Owensboro area ample opportunities to catch him in action. Stauffer and the Lights will travel to Carson, California, this Saturday to battle the L.A. Galaxy II in a friendly competition before beginning regular season play.
Stauffer said he would undoubtedly miss Germany but knew it was time to come home.
“I met friends in Germany that will be my friends for life,” he said. “I learned a second language and enjoyed my time there. I just wanted to be more accessible to my friends and family.”
Stauffer spent his college years playing for NCAA Division I powerhouse Creighton. Like many Owensboro soccer greats, he spent his younger years playing with Owensboro United and training with his dad, Ty, who owns SportsTutor.
Sports Tutor is a premier training academy in the tri-state dedicated to developing technically superior athletes.
“I grew up spending every day at SportsTutor with my dad,” Stauffer said. “The support from my family has been monumental, and I’m blessed to have them in my life. I’m very fortunate.”
He added that he loves returning home to see the sport continue to grow in the area.
“I visit now, and it’s amazing to see how much it has grown,” he said. “I enjoy seeing kids grow at SportsTutor and develop a passion for the game as I did. I’m proud to be from Owensboro, Kentucky – I’ve always said that.”
