RAPID CITY - For 15 years soccer was just a hobby for Chad Quinn. On Oct. 9 it turned into something more, and he is enjoying every moment of it.

Quinn, who grew up in Rapid City playing soccer for Rapid City Stevens and the Rushmore Soccer Club, signed with the Professional Arena Soccer League, giving him a chance to play a fast-paced game against talented players from around the world.

"This is the first year for the league but I am excited to be able to play in front of thousands of fans and we will just see what happens from here," Quinn said.

The league consists of four divisions in the eastern U.S., western U.S., Mexico and Canada and attracts players from Ireland, Mexico and Brazil among other places. The indoor games are played on turf laid on top of an ice rink with dimensions of 85 feet wide by 200 feet long. Six players including goalies are on the field at one time.

"It is like hockey on turf because it is very straightforward, attacking and fast," Quinn said of the style of play in the league. "It is very high scoring and there are penalties, power plays and the goals are just about regular size.

"You just try to bang the ball up to the forwards and attack the goal."

Quinn, 22, is the youngest player on his Colorado Lightning team by two years and survived three weeks of cuts that eliminated most of the original 150 players invited to tryout to make the team.

"I have some really good coaches who are all professional players," he said. "They are looking to develop the league, and with me being so young they are hoping to develop me and have me on the team four or five years from now."

Quinn, who is an attacking midfielder and forward, is relatively new to the indoor game after playing in many recreational outdoor leagues. He still prefers the outdoor game because there is more strategy involved, but the indoor game does have its advantages.

"You are always moving forward and it helps because you have to make quick decisions," he said.

Quinn said his enjoyment of soccer began at a young age in Rapid City.

"I loved growing up there and playing for Rushmore Soccer," he said. "I was never the best player on any of my teams. I just stuck with it, haven't really got hurt and always stayed in shape."

After high school, Quinn played two years at NCAA Division II Mars Hill College in North Carolina. When the coach was fired he decided to move closer to home and is now taking classes at Colorado State University toward his forestry major while living in Fort. Collins, Colo.

Quinn's decision to sign with a professional league meant his recreational playing days came to an end as did any chance to play more college soccer.

"I was playing in four or five outdoor leagues but I can't do that now because I don't think it is allowed in my contract," he said of the yearlong pact he signed. "I still had two years of college eligibility left, but I feel that I finally got hooked up with a good team with good coaches."

His decision to sign also means he will be getting paid to play a game he enjoys.

"It is a decent amount of money, not a lot, but it gives me an opportunity to play in front of people and I really don't care how much money I make," he said.

He begins his 15-game regular season schedule Saturday against the Stockton Cougars at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo., where Quinn said he is hopeful between 2,000-3,000 fans will turn out for the first game. The season continues through March.

"We have had three practice game so far and won our last one 8-3 over a good team," he said. "We had a practice and a couple hundred people showed up for that and little kids are already coming up and asking for your autograph and we haven't played a game yet."

No one is sure how successful the new league can be but Quinn is going to enjoy his opportunity for as long as he can.