College Teammates Follow Dream
Saint Anselm Stars Give Pro Soccer A Shot

The former Saint Anselm College teammates are toiling in soccer's minor leagues, hoping to advance to Major League Soccer and perhaps a team like the Foxborough-based New England Revolution.

"You're only young once," said Karalexis, "and if we don't do this, we will always wonder if we were good enough."

Both started in youth leagues and later shined at the high school level, Karalexis at Weymouth High and Bagley at Archbishop Williams, earning Globe-All Scholastic honors.

Saint Anselm, in Manchester, N.H., recruited both players, and for four years, they were roommates while Bagley set the school's all-time scoring record from his forward spot and Karalexis directed the offense from his midfield position.

Both earned All-America honors, leading Saint Anselm to three Northeast-10 Conference tournament championships. In fact, they did not lose an NE-10 game until their junior season.

In the spring of 2001, after they graduated, both decided to try professional soccer.

"There's a team called the New Hampshire Phantoms, and they asked us to play for them," said Karalexis. However, they had a better offer. A coach for Southern New Hampshire University asked them if they wanted to play soccer in South Carolina for the Charleston Battery, in a higher league.

"His brother played for the team, and he knew the coach," said Karalexis. "That's all it took. We were on our way to Charleston."

The Battery are in the A-League, one tier below Major League Soccer. When MLS teams, such as the Revolution, need a player, they would dip into the A-League. It is their farm system, and Charleston is one of the premier A-League teams.

"Charleston's known in soccer circles as the cream of the A-League," said Bagley. "I believe it's the only stadium in the A-League that is soccer specific."

When the two tried out last summer, there was no room on the roster. "They had a lot of older players under contract," said Bagley. "But the coach from the Wilmington Hammerheads saw us and offered us a contract."

The Wilmington, N.C., team is a member of the Pro Select League, a level below the A-League.

While soccer players in the MLS average $70,000 a year, and A-Leaguers average approximately $3,000 per month, Pro Select League players get around $1,000 a month. "But you are playing soccer, and there is always a chance that you might make it to the MLS," said Bagley. "That would be a trip."

Both players admitted they are not playing minor league soccer for the money, but rather for the love of the game. "If I was working a regular job back home, I'd still play soccer for somebody," said Karalexis.

The soccer season on their level runs from March to September. From October to February, Bagley returned to Holbrook, working for his uncle Joe Purpura's company, Creative Window Treatments. "He's been great to me," said Bagley. "I've worked for him off and on from the time I was in high school."

It is a way of life during the off-season, when bills and student loans have to be paid.

"Our parents have been good about that," said Karalexis. "Mine are a little taken back by this. They want me to get on with my life and get a real job. But they have been very supportive."

Both did well for the Hammerheads last season, leading Wilmington to the Pro Select League National Championship Game, where they fell, 3-2, to the Long Island Rough Riders.

When the season ended, Bagley joined the A-League Charleston squad for the last month of the season and impressed the team so much that they gave him a two-year contract.

His season starts April 17 against Richmond and winds up Aug. 30 at Minnesota.

Karalexis remains with Wilmington, but the two stay in touch. "We talk on the telephone every week," said Bagley.

"I think it won't be long before Tim is signed by Charleston," said Bagley. "The only reason he wasn't brought up last season was because they had too many healthy bodies on defense."

Another Karalexis, Jason, who is Tim's older brother, is thinking of giving pro soccer a whirl also.

He preceded his brother and Bagley at Saint Anselm, and the three were teammates for one starry season, finishing 19-2-1 overall and 8-0-0 in the Northeast-10.

"He's thinking about giving up his sales position," said Tim. "Heck, you're young only once. You are going to be working the rest of your life. You might as well do it."