Shane Battelle
Personal information
Date of birth	October 5, 1971 (1971-10-05) (age 38)
Place of birth	St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1990 1991-1993	Southern Methodist St. Louis University
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1994-1995 1995 1996	St. Louis Ambush (indoor) St. Louis Knights Columbus Crew	04 (0) 15 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Shane Battelle^[1] (last name also spelled Batelle)^[2] (born October 5, 1971 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a retired U.S. soccer defender who played with the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.

Contents 1 Youth 2 College 3 Professional 4 United States National Team 5 Post soccer career 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Youth

Battelle attended Hazelwood Central High School where he played on the boy's soccer team. He led his team to three Missouri State Final Four appearances during is four year varsity career. He captained the team his junior and senior years, leading his school to its first and only state championship as a senior. The team finished its championship season with a 27-3 record and a #7 national ranking in the final USA Today high school soccer rankings. Battelle played sweeper for the entire season but still managed to lead the team in scoring with 20 goals and 29 assists. He still holds the school's varsity all time record for assists with 69. That year, he was named the Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Player of the Year, Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year, an NSCAA All-American, and a Parade Magazine High School All-American. He played his club soccer with Scott Gallagher. He was with this club from its inception and eventually lead the team to the United States Amateur National Championship Title in 1991.

[edit] College

In 1990, he spent one season playing soccer at Southern Methodist University. He started every game that season and helped lead the Mustangs to a Quarterfinal appearance in the NCAA Division I playoffs where they lost to UCLA. Battelle was named to the Soccer America Magazine Freshman All-American Team that season as one of the best 11 freshman in the entire country. In 1991, he transferred to St. Louis University. He made an immediate impact during his sophomore season leading the Billikens to the Final Four where they lost to eventual champion University of Virginia in a triple overtime thriller. SLU finished ranked #2 in the nation that season. Battelle suffered through some injuries his junior season but was still the backbone of a team that was ranked #1 in the nation at one point, eventually falling to Duke University in the playoffs. Battelle returned his senior year to captain the team. The Billikens went to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I post-season tournament that season and Battelle was selected as a 1993 first team All American.^[3] Battelle was nominated that season for the MAC Award & Herman Trophy as the best player in college soccer but finished behind eventual winner Claudio Reyna. He was inducted to the Saint Louis University Hall of Fame in 1999 along with his teammate and long time friend Brian McBride.^[4]

[edit] Professional

Battelle's professional career was deferred as he recovered from a broken ankle suffered towards the end of his senior season at SLU. He had elected to endure cortisone shots into the ankle so that he could play in the remaining regular season games and on into the NCAA tournament. This exacerbated his injury, forcing him to have surgery on the ankle after the season. Due to complications from the surgery, he did not play again for nearly a year missing out on an opportunity to play with German professional futbol club VfL Wolfsburg. In 1994, he was the #1 pick of the St. Louis Ambush of the National Professional Soccer League. The Ambush went on to win the NPSL Championship that season. In the summer of 1995, he played for the St. Louis Knights in the USISL. Battelle played in limited action with both of these teams due to the still lingering effects of his ankle injury. In 1996, the Columbus Crew selected Battelle in the 11th round (101st overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. Battelle's stock dropped drastically prior to the draft because of his ankle injury, however, he eventually regained his form and claimed a starting spot at defensive midfield with the Crew prior to the start of the season. He was named to the first ever USA Today Team of the Week in the opening week of the season. Battelle started every game and was gradually building up his reputation in the MLS as one of the best midfielders until he suffered an injury during a game with the Tampa Bay Mutiny. Battelle blew out his posterior cruciate ligament in a nasty collision with a Tampa Bay player during the first half of the game. He somehow managed to play into the second half of the game and then elected to rehab his knee during the upcoming weeks rather than opting for an immediate season ending surgery. Battelle managed to make it back into the lineup for limited action towards the end of the season but incurred further damage to the knee as a result of his diligence. At the end of the season, he had major reconstructive surgery. Battelle was forced to retire due to the knee injury and never played professional soccer again.

[edit] United States National Team

Battelle spent time with United States Men's National Soccer Team at several different age groups. In 1990, he played with the U.S. U-20 national team in its unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship. He went on to play for a U.S. National Team composed of the best players in college soccer from 1992 to 1994 and anchored the midfield in a big win over Trinidad & Tobago in Trinidad, at one point. Unfortunately, after his college career ended, he never got a chance to play for the senior National Team due to his ankle injury and later knee injury. However, he was co-captain of the U.S. at the 1993 World University games along with Claudio Reyna, scoring key goals in wins against Ireland and Australia, and two goals and an assist in a victory over Nigeria. Battelle also played in the 1990 U.S. Olympic Festival, leading the his North team to the Gold Medal.

[edit] Post soccer career

After retiring from playing professionally, Battelle eventually entered into the St. Louis Police Department where he would graduate #1 overall in his academy class. Battelle worked in the Narcotics/Gang Unit for the St. Louis Police Department and even garnered a detachment with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Although he no longer played professionally, he briefly played with the St. Louis Police Soccer Team captaining the team to the North American National Title. Unfortunately, Battelle suffered an injury in the line of duty during a drug investigation and arrest attempt. The injuries ended his career in the police department and forced him into early retirement. Battelle has also coached boys and girls high school soccer. His father is a retired Chief of Police for St. Louis County and currently the Executive Director for 'The Backstoppers', a non-profit organization that supports the families of fallen Police Officers and Firefighters. Battelle's mother has since passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. It is unknown where Battelle now resides.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• St. Louis University Player Profile