Veteran midfielder Lucas Almeida takes on the additional role of Assistant Coach for the St. Louis Ambush for the 2022-23 season, the team announced today.
Almeida has been a mainstay of the Ambush lineup for seven of his eight professional indoor soccer seasons. He joined the team in 2015 after spending his rookie season with the Tulsa Revolution.
Lucas is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he played youth soccer before coming to the United States in 2010. He spent his collegiate career at Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Almeida played semi-pro outdoor soccer with Mississippi Brilla FC (PDL) and Vermont Voltage (PDL).
The 2022-23 season will be Almeida’s ninth in professional indoor soccer and his eighth with the Ambush. His standout rookie season (2014-15) saw him register 23 goals and 19 assists in 19 games played for the Revolution. He led the team in goals, assists and points and was second on the team in blocks. Lucas has also represented his home country as a member of Brazil’s squad in the WMF Arena Soccer World Cup. In 136 career MASL games, Almeida scored 78 goals, assisted on 100 and blocked 107 opponent shots.
Lucas began coaching in 2014 and has done so at the club, high school and collegiate levels. He currently has a USSF C license and is working towards his B license. Almeida is a also a Director and Coach for the Lou Fusz Soccer Club and serves as an Assistant Coach of the men’s soccer team at Fontbonne University, a position he has held since 2017.
Almeida said, “I couldn’t be happier with this opportunity. Ambush has been home for me for seven years now and as I progress in my coaching career this feels like a natural next step. I am thankful for the trust the ownership has in me and look forward to learning and contributing on and off the field, helping us continue to grow and reach our goals.”
Ambush Co-owner, General Manager and Head Coach Jeff Locker said, “Lucas Almeida is a cornerstone player in this franchise. He has earned the respect of his peers, both on our team and around the league. We look forward to utilizing his experience along with his coaching acumen, to help the Ambush reach the next level.”
The upcoming 2022-23 season is the tenth for the Ambush. Their home opener is slated for Black Friday, November 25, 2022 at 5:05 p.m. CT at The Family Arena in St. Charles. It is the first of a two-game series against the Kansas City Comets to open the MASL season. The Comets host the second game the next night, November 25, at Cable-Dahmer Arena in Independence.
