State soccer: Assumption’s program on a fast track rise to prominence

Wherever the Assumption girls soccer team has gone, Jenne Raulin has been there — right from day one.

As a freshman in 2002, she was part of the club team that played games around the schedule of the other spring sports.

The following year, the girls soccer program became a WIAA varsity sport, and now the Royals are preparing for their first state tournament appearance Friday morning, all in less than 10 years.

“When we went from a club team to varsity sport, it was so exciting because we had a new spring sport,” said Raulin, now an assistant coach with the team. “We had a team that was permanent.

“We weren’t just dabbling in soccer while we ran track or played softball anymore.”

The Royals’ rise from club status to a state-bound program was fueled by three main people, according to current coach John Bingham.

“When I think of how Assumption soccer began, I think of Bob Birkhauser, Lisa Klein and Bob Raulin. They were the main force behind getting us started and to where we are now,” Bingham said.

“I also think a lot of it goes back to the strong soccer culture in Wisconsin Rapids.

“I’m in my fifth year with the program and both of my assistant coaches have been there from the beginning,” Bingham said. “I think that has been a big help to where the program is now.”

Working with both Assumption athletic board co-president Bob Birkhauser and his son, athletic director Joe Birkahuser, was the starting point.

“There were a lot of kids who played with the Rapids Kickers, but if they wanted to play high school soccer, they had to go to Lincoln if they wanted to continue past the club level,” Klein said. “We had a lot of kids playing soccer, so they played club for a year and in 2003, girls soccer became a varsity sport at Assumption.”

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association requires schools starting new sports to compete at a club level for a minimum of one year before becoming a varsity sport.

The new varsity sport was first coached by Phil Hamilton, then Jason Padrone took the reins before Bingham became the third head coach of the program in 2007.

For the first few years, Assumption and Port Edwards had a cooperative team to allow the program to develop. Numbers grew as the team continued to play into the postseason.

Success came quickly as well, largely due to a devoted group of girls dedicated to the sport and strong all-around athletes giving the sport a try.

By 2005 — when Bingham was still an assistant — the Royals made their first sectional championship appearance, falling to St. Mary Central 10-0.

The gap between the Zephyrs and Royals has narrowed considerably. In the 2010 sectional finals, St. Mary’s needed two overtime periods to sneak out a 4-3 win over the Royals.

“When I first took over, I thought ‘I’ll coach this team and see what happens,'” Bingham said. “Then we played St. Mary’s and I got to know their coach (Gary Kruger) and figured they were the program to try and model ours after.”

Bingham’s plan appears to have worked as the Royals are just days away from competing in the state semifinals.

So from humble beginnings to the potential for grandeur, the Royals are making a name for themselves on a state level — and in short time.

“It’s been a constant progression,” Raulin said. “The girls have gotten a little more skilled and the teams are improving each year.

“And now the team is going to state, which is just awesome.”