MOBILE, Ala. – A national championship is never really won in just four games and five days of a tournament.

That’s what University of Mobile Coach Peter Fuller told his men shortly after he received the call from the NAIA national office telling him that the soccer team was awarded an at-large bid to compete at the 2002 National Tournament. The team took that opportunity to the limit, earning the NAIA 2002 National Championship title.

For the men who wore the white and maroon of the University of Mobile Rams, it was a national championship that was captured in an outstanding season lasting four months, 107 days and spanning 23 games.

As destiny would have it, on a cold November evening, the Rams posed victoriously behind the 2002 NAIA Championship banner after defeating Park University 2-1 in the national final. Captured in those moments was the satisfaction not only of winning a national championship, but also the memories of the three previous games still freshly branded in their minds, the underlying serendipity of the journey ’s end.

In short, the Rams defeated Bethel College in the first round 1-0 in the 108th minute of double-overtime. They went on to defeat Mid-Continent College in the quarter-finals, 5-4 in penalty kicks, after drawing a 3-3 result following two scoreless overtime periods. Having lost to regional nemesis AUM twice already this season, the Rams defeated the top-seeded Senators 1-0 in the semi-finals. In the final, the Rams defeated Park University 2-1, weathering a storm of being out-shot 19-9.

For most members of the Rams squad, the road to a national championship began with  the start of the 2002 pre-season camp on Aug. 12. But for one goalkeeper, that journey seemed as if it would never take place. During a shooting session, Rams starting goalkeeper Andrew Bayliss tore cartilage off his femur as he dove to block a shot. With his knee locked in a 45-degree angle, the Newbury, England native underwent a series of medical procedures. A piece of his cartilage was removed and sent to a Boston laboratory to be regenerated. During a second surgery, the newly grown cartilage was inserted. Following the successful operations, Bayliss began months of intense rehabilitation.

While the procedure had a 90 percent success rate, it also had a suggested rehab period of 16 to 18 months, making Bayliss’s return to soccer unsure.

“I went from not very concerned,” Coach Fuller admitted, “to talking to Dr. Cope, the surgeon, and becoming very, very concerned that he might not be able to make it back and play again.” 

Within five months, Bayliss had beaten the odds, returned to the soccer field, and went on to have the best season of his career. Finishing out the season with All-Tournament honors, 1st Team All-American honors, and a shutout against No. 1 seed AUM in the semi-finals, Bayliss’s performance was nothing short of spectacular.

For seniors James Gledhill and Chris Williams, the national championship gave fulfillment to two stellar careers. Having garnered All-American honors in years past, both players came back for their fourth and final season at Mobile to capture that which had eluded them on two previous trips to the national tournament, when the team lost in the finals in 1999 and in the semi-finals in 2000. Gledhill, who recorded four goals at the tournament, was awarded with Tournament MVP and All-Tournament honors. Williams, who is poised to be a selection for Canada’s Olympic team and perhaps full National Team, was also awarded All-Tournament honors. With truly poetic closure to two tremendous careers, the two athletes will walk off into the sunset prepared to take on the challenges of a full-time professional career in the game they love and know as football.

But perhaps it is the story of a head coach stricken with a serious case of déjà vu that offers the greatest poetry. When Peter Fuller was head coach of Belhaven College, his team garnered an at-large bid to compete at the 1992 NAIA National Tournament. Seeded 5th in that tournament – the same ranking as this year’s UM Rams -- Fuller’s team went on to win 5-4 in penalty kicks in the quarter-finals. They then went on to defeat Lynn University 2-1 in the national final. It was Fuller’s first national championship.

“This one is different than the first,” Coach Fuller said. “The first I didn’t at all expect. I felt that in my coaching career somewhere along the line I would win a championship, but I didn t expect it at that particular moment. I think this one is a little more of a satisfaction because I know how far this group had to come in such a short period of time.”

The 243-72-20 career coach, who stands on the verge of winning a milestone 250th game in 2003, could only smile and hold back tears as he reflected on a championship won.

“It’s been awesome working with this group. This has been one of the best coaching experiences in my life. There are a lot of boys who came to Mobile on Aug. 12th that became men throughout the fall. That’s probably the neatest thing, and I’ll cherish it always. Watching them grow up has been a blessing to me,” Fuller said.

The national championship Rams and their individual honors are: Nana Asante; Joel Bartlett; Andrew Bayliss, All-Tournament goalkeeper; Fawzi Bellal; Gregory Bonar; Jared Boreland; Brady Bryant; Jamie Ferguson, All-Tournament defender, outstanding defensive player; Michael Fricke; James Gledhill, All-Tournament forward, most valuable player; Kevin Laux; Steven Linpow; Teba McKnight; Jason Miniaci; Zenzo Ndlovu; Nathan Nicholas; Anthony Noreiga; Justin Richardson; Jerrell Ruffin; Stephen Shirley; Bryan Taylor; Carron Williams; Chris Williams, All-Tournament midfielder; Jordan Wilson and Scott Yadon.

The coaching staff includes head coach Peter Fuller and assistants Brian Person, Remi Roy  and Joel Person; and athletic trainers Jinni Frisbey and Melissa Thomas.