When he was growing up in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, about the only two things Stanley Nyazamba did was go to school and play soccer.

"We just play all the time," said Nyazamba, which helps explain how the 6-0 175-pounder got so good at the game.

"We didn't have video games. It's not like here, where you can play baseball, video games or watch TV. We did watch some TV, but we only have one or two channels. Pretty much, we play soccer all the time."

Nyazamba became proficient enough to be offered a scholarship. He starred for an NAIA school and wound up joining the Richmond Kickers a few days before the season opener April 19.

In three games for the United Soccer Leagues Second Division team, the midfielder has had a hand in two of the Kickers' four goals. The club will be looking for more when Richmond (2-2-0) entertains league-leading Charlotte (4-0-1) tonight (7) at University of Richmond Stadium.

"He's been very impressive so far," Richmond coach Leigh Cowlishaw said. "Very clean passer of the ball. Great character. Always got a smile on his face. Always cracking jokes. Very confident. Just looks to play with a lot of energy."

With help from countryman Ethan Zohn, who won the Survivor reality television series in 2001, Nyazamba got an opportunity to play college soccer, first at Lindsey Wilson in Columbia, Ky., and then Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn.

"I come over here to play soccer and get a degree also," said Nyazamba, who scored 28 goals and added 60 assists in three seasons for Lee. He earned 2007 NAIA All-American honors as a junior.

Nyazamba missed Richmond's game at Crystal Palace Baltimore on May 4 because he was involved with commencement exercises at Lee. He received a degree in business administration.

Nyazamba's most difficult adjustment to the U.S. was the weather. In Zimbabwe, it's hot most of the time. Not so in Kentucky.

"The transition [to this country] takes a little bit of time in terms of the language and the food," he said. "But the weather was very, very bad. In Kentucky, it was snowing and stuff. I had never seen snow. That was very, very hard for me. I still don't like it.

"It's much better here for me now, but getting used to that was very hard. I was just staying in the house all the time [when it was snowing]."

Nyazamba was picked in the second round of the Major Indoor Soccer League college draft by the Detroit Ignition. He tried out with a couple of teams before winding up with the Kickers. Cowlishaw saw him at a Major League Soccer combine in January and liked him well enough to offer the 25-year-old a contract last month.

In his first game, Nyazamba came in late and almost immediately made his presence felt. He was pulled down in the 18-yard box, setting up a penalty kick by David Bulow against Western Mass. Last Saturday, he scored the only goal in Richmond's 1-0 win at Western Mass.

"Soccer is soccer, no matter what level you are playing," Nyazamba said.
Contact John Packett at (804) 649-6313 or jpackett@timesdispatch.com.