Lee University coach Paul Furey likes Rocha's figurative vision as well.
Rocha lives in Cleveland, and his decision to play for his hometown university could help Furey's Flames in many ways.
“He is one of the best players in the state,” Furey said after signing the 2011 Best of Preps all-city midfielder, who is having another outstanding season. “When we learned about Arturo, we felt he was the type player who can make a big impact on our program. We feel like this is a great day for Lee soccer. He can make a big difference in our program these next four years.”
Rocha has a 3.4 grade point average and has interest both in international business and being a physician's assistant, and he said he was confident Lee could help him do either. He chose the Flames over Wake Forest after also considering Louisville, South Florida and Kentucky.
“Lee is in town and it’s a great school and a great campus,” Rocha said. "And it has great soccer and great players. I thought it was a great fit for me. It came down to Wake Forest or Lee, and Lee is where my gut was telling me to go.” He missed part of his junior season with injuries but still totaled 11 goals and 11 assists from his midfield position.
“From a technical standpoint, he has the ability to score goals and to create opportunities, and he’s crafty,” said Furey, who is in his first full recruiting year since becoming the Flames’ coach. He likes not only Rocha's soccer abilities but his connection to a relatively untouched source of prospects.
“We're excited not only to get Arturo but also to tap into a prep school like McCallie, which may lead us to other players of his caliber,” Furey said.
McCallie coach Tony Meyers said, “Rocha has a great feel for the game and understands how the game is played. He knows when to give the finesse pass and when to pull the trigger, but most of all he has great vision.”
