MILWAUKEE (Sept. 16, 2008) — At face value, professional indoor soccer embraces the Americanized culture of high scoring and fast-paced action just a few feet away from your seat. But the newly created Xtreme Soccer League and Xtreme Soccer Xperience embrace more than what is on the arena scoreboard.

The XSL and XSX treasure the individual skill involved in soccer – the improvisation, the confidence and fluidity with the ball when surrounded by a couple of defenders. Most of the players who battle on the turf have a versatile soccer backbone.

On Monday, Sept. 15, the XSL took pride in signing its first player – someone who fits this particular mold of soccer, while also representing the highest level of the sport both on and off of the field: the Milwaukee Wave’s Marcio Leite.

“We really think that he is the future and the direction that this game is heading in,” XSL Commissioner Brian Loftin said of the 24-year-old Leite during Tuesday’s league press conference in Milwaukee. “His ability to interact and be engaged off the field, both through the school day programs, as well as the camp programs, made him a great candidate to be our first signing in the Xtreme Soccer League.”

Leite, an Aracaju, Brazil, native, comes from a culture where soccer is in your DNA. He started playing the sport when he was around 4 years old and turned professional at age 17. The XSL’s multidimensional hold of soccer is something that Leite is looking forward to, particularly since it represents his own career path.

“I’ve played outdoor, I’ve played indoor … I’ve played all of my life. And I think all of those things made me a better player,” Leite said. “I’ve learned a couple things from outdoor, I’ve learned a couple things from futsal. And I’m still learning a lot of things from indoor.”

Loftin pinpointed several elements of the sport that the XSL and XSX embrace: 3-vs.-3 soccer, beach soccer, soccer tennis, and of course the camp programs and other team/player appearances that have been a staple of professional indoor soccer in reaching out to the community. The XSL and XSX models represent a year-round approach to the game, and an effort to expand soccer’s local horizon through numerous age levels and audiences.

“I think it’s a big deal for us to play year-round,” Leite said. “Now with the beach soccer and other stuff, I think this will help soccer get even bigger.”

The XSL and XSX will take further shape in the coming weeks leading up to the December start to the 2008-09 season. With top-level talent and soccer passion among the likes of Leite, the future of the league and the “Xperience” look incredibly bright.

“If you’ve had a chance to see Marcio play or had a chance to interact with him off of the field, you know that he embodies all of the principles that we’ve discussed,” Loftin said. “His individual ability with the ball is tremendous. … I think he’s going to be a great asset to us.”

Check out these videos featuring Marcio Leite: