Former JU soccer coach Mauricio Ruiz charts new course as JAXUSL builds toward launch

After nine years on the college sidelines along the St. Johns River, Mauricio Ruiz has no doubt that the ingredients are in place for soccer to flourish in Jacksonville.

"It's a region full of both talent and passion for soccer," he said.

The former Jacksonville University men's soccer coach is charting a new career course, swapping college for the professional game to help the First Coast's new United Soccer League franchise.

It's the latest step for the JAXUSL ownership group, which includes Ricky Caplin, Steve Livingstone, Tony Allegretti and former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, in its effort to develop a franchise in the USL at the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. In August, the USL awarded the Jacksonville group a franchise that is slated to begin play in 2025.

JAXUSL's project also includes plans for the development of a women's soccer club in a league that has yet to begin play.

Ruiz coached JU for nine seasons from 2014 to 2022, including an ASUN Conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth in the coronavirus-delayed 2020-21 season to end the school's 12-year NCAA drought. With JAXUSL, Ruiz is changing his coaching gear for a front-office role in business development, building connections with area clubs and the city's corporate sphere.

"We're drawing interest from all corners of the community everywhere, and letting them know what we're doing," Ruiz said.

JACKSONVILLE SOCCER: FILLING IN THE GAP

For Ruiz, part of the mission of JAXUSL comes down to plugging the gap.

Since the North American Soccer League suspended play in the fall of 2017 and left the still-active Jacksonville Armada without a completely professional league, the city hasn't had a full presence in the upper divisions of American soccer.

"You look at Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and then it [professional soccer] kind of passes us by to Atlanta and Charlotte," Ruiz said. "We feel there's kind of a gap here for us to fill."

He's no stranger to the complexities of the American soccer development scene. A native of Brazil, he coached on the staff at UCF for seven years prior to his arrival in Jacksonville, a tenure that brought a milestone this fall: Goalkeeper Sean Johnson, with whom Ruiz worked at UCF, made the cut for the United States roster for the World Cup in Qatar.

During his playing career, he also qualified for the 2005 NCAA Tournament with Stetson.

Allegretti said that Ruiz's experience in the game, coupled with nearly a decade of coaching and recruiting in Jacksonville, made him a natural fit.

"He's been involved in developing soccer talent that's played across the country and across the world, developing talent at that prime age range," Allegretti said.

YOUTH SOCCER CONNECTIONS

While his soccer career has chiefly focused on the on-field side of the game to date, the adjustment from the sidelines to a behind-the-scenes role isn't entirely unfamiliar to Ruiz.

"You do get to participate in a lot of the strategy of the university and the things it is carrying out, and how your team has to model that focus," he said.

Among the short-term goals, Ruiz said, will be taking advantage of his Jacksonville soccer background to build partnerships with businesses and potential sponsors. In the American sports environment below the giant leagues, such partnerships often play a key role in determining whether clubs sink or swim.

He's also working to strengthen the club's connections with area youth teams as part of JAXUSL's plan to develop a full pathway from youth soccer to USL competition.

"We're working to get in front of a lot of different folks in Jacksonville, especially in the youth soccer community, and keep an open line of communication," Ruiz said.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR JAXUSL?

Ruiz's hiring represents one step for JAXUSL. Several challenging calls are on the way.

"If we do that research now," Allegretti said, "we know it'll pay off in the long run."

JAXUSL has yet to determine a firm timetable for announcing the team name, although Allegretti said they're hoping to announce those details in the coming months. Also on the agenda is the formidable task of finding and developing a playing site, a pivotal decision that has proven tricky for Jacksonville soccer teams for decades.

For the ownership group, part of the plan includes a series of town hall meetings with prospective fans to help shape the course. The next one on the schedule is 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at Intuition Ale Works.

Even though Jacksonville's USL team is still some two years from kickoff, Ruiz is eager to begin tackling the challenges.

"The next few months are super exciting for me to get some things established," he said.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Mauricio Ruiz hired in JAXUSL soccer business development role