Murfreesboro's Kyle Wolfenbarger joins All-Army soccer team

Kyle Wolfenbarger began his soccer career at age 5, and 18 years later, he's earned a spot on the All-Army soccer team.

A grad of MTSU and Riverdale High, he said his positions on the field changed as he got older.

“I started out playing forward because I was faster than most of the kids, but moved to defense when I got older,” Wolfenbarger said.

During his sophomore season at Riverdale, Wolfenbarger transitioned from playing defense to protecting the goal. Wolfenbarger credits his coach, Ali Arman, for converting him to goalkeeper and ultimately open the door for his future.

“When I started playing soccer in high school, I didn’t have the skill set (I had) when I was younger. Coach (Arman) wanted me to play goalie because of my hand-eye coordination,” Wolfenbarger said. “I ended up really liking the position because I was the last line of defense.”

Wolfenbarger is currently serving as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He got his first taste of the armed services when he began basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina.

“It was really a family thing for me (to join the Army),” Wolfenbarger said. “Both my parents were combat medics in the Army, so I felt like it was my duty and calling to join.”

Afterward, he came back home and joined the Tennessee Army National Guard in Smyrna while attending MTSU. Wolfenbarger also played with the university's club soccer team.

After his commission as an officer, Wolfenbarger was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri where he would gain national soccer attention.

While at Fort Leonard Wood, Wolfenbarger joined the club team and played in the Defender’s Cup, the largest military open soccer championship in the nation.

“It’s played every year in San Antonio and it includes all the branches of the armed services,” Wolfenbarger said. “A couple of the All-Army coaches saw me play in the tournament and liked me.”

Wolfenbarger was selected from a field of 400 soccer players who compete in the Army to play on the traveling team.

“I was one of 25 to be brought in and worked out. They made some cuts and I was one of the final 18 to make the traveling team,” Wolfenbarger said.

While Wolfenbarger is enjoying playing soccer and serving his country, he'd eventually would like to move back to Tennessee permanently, join the National Guard full-time and coach a new generation of soccer players.