After Bar Hazut and Oz Levi left the pitch after a blustery evening practice at Dirks Field in late September, Fort Lewis College men’s soccer’s newest faces did not – nor do they look like average college freshmen.
Whether it was the long beards, numerous tattoos or the weathered faces that each player had after having practiced and played on Durango’s windiest field, Hazut, 22, and Levi, 21, appeared to have settled in for the long haul and have also adjusted to the college game. They have brought a steady, calming presence to the Skyhawks’ defense and a clinical approach to the offensive side of the game in their first year with the program.
In a season that has been defined by a steady veteran back line and composed forwards, these two freshmen more closely resemble that of grizzled, seasoned veterans. Despite their intimidating appearances, each standing over 6 feet tall, they are as friendly as one can find on FLC’s campus and do just about everything together, especially making a joke at each other’s expense.
“I don’t like this guy,” Hazut said sarcastically as he laughed at his roommate and gave him an elbow.
“Yeah, I can’t stand him,” Levi said, who laughed right back at Hazut. “I see him every day, all of the time. We go everywhere together.”
“We cook together every day, we go to the gym together every day, we have classes together,” Hazut added. “We’re training with the team together – and we didn’t fight yet! So, it’s a good start.”
The pair’s chemistry is a good thing, especially for Fort Lewis head coach David Oberholtzer, who said the duo are the oldest freshmen he’s had since he took over as coach in 2015.
“They are (the oldest), yeah, they are,” Oberholtzer said. “We’ve got some guys coming in as young as 17 years old, so, yeah, these guys aren’t your typical wet-behind-the-ear freshmen.”
That’s certainly the case, as each player has been instrumental to the Skyhawks’ success this season. Hazut is tied with fellow striker Ryan Lee with five goals on the season and leads the team with 13 points. He was named RMAC player of the week last week after he tallied seven points, scored three goals and an assist in wins against Metro State and Colorado Christian.
Despite the accolades, Hazut’s reaction to the honor was nothing more than a shrug and a smile. “I’m grateful for the honor, but it’s only one week; it’s only one week.”
Oberholtzer had a bit more to say about Hazut. “He’s got a physical presence for one, I mean, he’s a big, strong guy,” Oberholtzer said. “He’s got a lot of pace that makes defenders a little uncomfortable, but he’s also super technical and has a really good soccer brain. So that’s a lot of good tools to have and he’s got quite a few of them.”
Meanwhile, Levi has been a rock on the back line and started every game but one for the Skyhawks, who have given up just 13 goals and recorded one shutout on the season so far.
“He’s just super steady and composed, and to be honest, he’s a little bit harder to read because he’s more quiet than Bar is in terms of their personalities,” Oberholtzer said. “But I just think his personality kind of shows in terms of what he does on the field. He’s pretty composed, always comfortable and doesn’t tend to get overwhelmed and just continues to play. And that’s obviously a great presence to have on your back line and makes the rest of the guys feel comfortable.”
The trend of Israeli players coming to the United States to play college soccer is becoming more frequent every year. Hazut and Levi are two of five freshmen from Israel who are competing in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this season, alongside Bryan Amouyal, who plays for Metropolitan State-Denver, and two from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Mor Cohen and Adir Hazout.
Hazut and Levi were not recruited out of the blue. Hazut took the initiative and emailed Oberholtzer directly, while Levi was discovered by a contact in Israel. Oberholtzer liked what he saw immediately from both players.
“Over the years, there’s been a good amount of Israeli players who have come over and been successful in NCAA soccer,” Oberholtzer said. “So, we kind of dove into it a little bit, did some research, trying to figure out the different levels, where these players are coming from. We had an idea a little bit of the type of players that would be successful here, and that’s obviously one piece, but after conversations, and getting to know both Bar and Oz, and feeling like they meet the characteristics of the players that we’re looking for, it seemed like a good fit, and so far, it has been.”
Both players arrived in Durango from Israel, with Levi coming from Kiryat Tiv’on, a town of just over 17,000 people, and Hazut arriving from Modi’in, a town just a little over 20 miles southeast of Tel Aviv, Israel’s second largest city.
Hazut and Levi each had to fulfill three years of duty with the Israeli military. Because of their athlete status within the military, their schedule allowed for them to continue playing soccer. Even with the status, Levi said of his home, “you don’t get bored there.”
“No, actually, my time in the military, the situation was calm, so no war or anything,” Levi said. “But still, you have to be ready all the time and you don’t know what’s gonna happen, but my time in the military was, you can say, calm.”
Their outlet for the tough military life was through soccer, where each player got to shine. Hazut played for the youth team of Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion FC, a team in the country’s second division. He gained a knack for finding the back of the net and brought that ability across the globe to Durango. Meanwhile, Levi played for Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. and manned the back line as he does today.
While both players appear to have fully adjusted to college soccer, it was not easy when they first arrived last summer.
“First of all, the attitude (is different),” Levi said. “That was the biggest adjustment for me, especially. We are still getting used to the different mentality, but the guys really took us in like a family and helped us. The rules are much different as well. There’s unlimited subs and no extra time. We’re used to the European game. Three subs, stoppage or extra time, that sort of thing.”
Adjusting to Durango’s elevation was also a tough ask, particularly for Levi. “We had a fitness test first week of the season,” Hazut said. “This guy, he couldn’t breathe.”
“It was tough,” Levi said, smiling. “The first couple of days were very tough training-wise. We both adjusted and now it’s better, but that first week was tough.”
However, the two have since got on just fine, as Levi has started in seven of the Skyhawks’ eight matches while Hazut is fourth on the team in minutes played with 689.
While the Skyhawks have lost their last two consecutive matches, in which they were uncharacteristically not sharp on either side of the ball, giving up five goals and only scoring once, they both think the bounce back will come sooner rather than later.
“I’d say, first of all, (the team’s success) was (because) the way the coaches have built the team,” Hazut said. “Like, it’s not that you have only the perfect guy for each position. We have a lot of depth. Like, every guy that gets in does the same exact job as the guys that play and start. Everybody is so committed and wants to achieve things this season, and I guess, that’s what makes the difference in years past.”
As the pair will continue to log more minutes, score more goals and get more adjusted to the American college game, they each have the same end goal: Add another star to the FLC crest.
“The goal is to win a championship,” Levi said. “To come to every game and win. That’s our goal. Our personal goal is to help the team achieve it. Play the best we can.”
“At the end of the year, we can only remember if we get the trophy and the ring,” Hazut said. “So, that’s the only thing that matters.”
Oberholtzer didn’t care what ages the two were, nor did he mind the beards, tattoos or weathered faces. He was just pleased the duo were wearing FLC’s blue and gold when they walked off the pitch after practice in late September.
“Hey, we’re going to work with what we can, you know.”
Fort Lewis will take University of Colorado-Colorado Springs at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Dirks Field.
