Ex-Saint living dream with Rampage

CEDAR RAPIDS - Charlie Bales, a 2010 Cedar Rapids Xavier graduate, has returned home to play for Cedar Rapids' newest addition to its professional sports clubs, the Cedar Rapids Rampage.

The Rampage were introduced to Cedar Rapids in June and are a part of the Major Arena Soccer League.

'I was excited because it would've been something I would've loved to go to as a kid, and I know how passionate Cedar Rapids is about soccer,” Bales said.

Bales attended open tryouts for the Rampage and was invited back, along with a few other players for preseason. He ended up making the team.

'Playing in front of my friends and family, there is no better feeling than that,” Bales said.

For Bales, this has been a focused and enjoyable journey to play the sport he loves. After graduating from Xavier, he attended Western Illinois University and played soccer for four years.

He had a successful career at WIU, including winning Western Illinois Male Student-Athlete of the Year in 2014. He led the team in scoring in the 2014 season and graduated from the university in December 2014.

'I graduated last December and then I bounced all over the place, playing in the United Soccer League for Charlotte for three months,” Bales said. 'Then I played for the Des Moines Menace and then around August, I heard about Cedar Rapids getting a team and came here.”

Bales always has shown a deep commitment to being the best at everything he does. Although he is now a professional soccer player, he also played football for Coach Duane Schulte his senior year at Xavier.

'He bought in to everything his football coaches preached: work hard, get in the weight room, be a part of something to help your buddies,” Schulte said. 'He was a phenomenal person and student.”

Bales can next be seen in action tonight and Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Center.