Spiders top new rivals

DRAPER — Last winter, Jamie Schock decided the time had come.

For five years, Schock filled various roles — from coaching to management to (fill in the blank) — with the Utah Spiders of the Women's Premier Soccer League. The Spiders, composed primarily of local talent, achieved lots of success during that period, including a national championship in 2003.

Rather than stand pat, however, Schock decided to do something bold.

He created another WPSL team.

Behind his vision, Rush Salt Lake City was born last winter, and it's spent the spring — and now summer — getting into action.

Rush has done well during the early days of its existence, and — armed with five former Spiders' players — Schock and Co. took on their neighbor for the first time Tuesday evening.

The Spiders emerged with a closer-than-it-sounds 3-0 win, and it's pretty clear that the two WPSL squads will be trading swords for the foreseeable future.

Schock couldn't be happier.

"I think it's great for the state to have two quality, high-level teams," he said.

According to him, the impetus behind the creation of Rush is the fact that he feels Utah now has enough talented women's players to support two teams.

In the absence of a full professional soccer league, the WPSL — along with the W-League — features the highest level of women's soccer in the United States.

Add to that the fact that local players from collegiate programs are looking for ways to stay sharp over the summer, and it's fairly easy to attract talent.

Schock feels there's enough to go around.

"Really, what presented us with a second team here is the depth and quality of soccer in Utah," he said, adding that he wanted to give local players two options to consider.

From a logistical standpoint, it makes sense to have two squads. The WPSL can schedule other teams from the Southwest division for two away games whenever they visit the state, instead of one. And it helps when the WPSL schedules the away games for Utah and Salt Lake.

According to Schock, players will have the chance to pick between two distinct playing styles.