By Cesar Diaz - NEW YORK, NY (Nov 14, 2011) US Soccer Players -- If American Soccer has taught us anything, it's that soccer at a grassroots level has outlasted many professional soccer leagues. It’s also well documented how the immigrant community has planted the seeds for soccer in this country.
Alongside the number of youth academies that were founded in those communities, soccer has flourished in neighborhoods across the US for decades. As a result, the soccer clubs at a grassroots level has earned the reputation of being a tradition while many of the professional leagues and their teams ended up as fads.
Whenever the topic of the immigrant influence on soccer in America is raised, the Italian, Greek, German, and Hungarian - to name a few - are mentioned. There’s no denying the contribution those ethnic groups have made and continue to make in the Tri-State area, but what about the Caribbean influence?
A colleague of mine mentioned Real Caribe Soccer Club (RCSC) in Queens. I learned that they’ve been in existence since 1975 and have been one of the most competitive teams in the Long Island Soccer Football League (LISFL).
After a couple of emails and phone discussions with director of player development Huntley Swaby, I ventured off to Queens for a meeting with him and Real Caribe president Craig Hines. We met for lunch at a Jamaican restaurant right across from where RCSC plays, the Roy Wilkins Recreation Park.
During my conversation with Huntly and Craig, I learned how involved Real Caribe has been in not just developing athletes. With education being a focal point of their philosophy of “Building Character through Soccer,” 22 out of their 24 players are currently enrolled in college. As for the two players not enrolled in college, one is attending trade school and the other just recently moved to New York.
“Yes, we want our players to reach the next level but we also want them to be model citizens,” Swaby said. “The reason we’ve been able to last as long as we have is because we’ve instilled in our players that once they join Real Caribe, they’re a member for life and it is their responsibility to continue the legacy.
Founded in Queens, NY by the late Harold “McCook” Donaldson and Lloyd “Makam” Walker who was also a player, Real Caribe has not only given their community a club they could be proud about, they’ve created a legacy where former players have helped sustain the cost of the soccer club through fund raisers and donations.
At the time of RCSC's formation, members were predominantly West Indian immigrants who attended high school in Queens and other parts of the Tri-State area. Originally, they were a recreational club where they played for fun. Over time, RCSC became a club that took its soccer seriously and wanted to play competitively.
Not wanting to be the kind of club that only completed in their neighborhood, they came to compete in numerous leagues and tournaments within the Metropolitan area. Some of those leagues included the New York International League, Fiveboro Soccer League, and the Bronx International Soccer League .
With the “we’ll play anywhere” mentality, Real Caribe enjoyed tremendous success, winning each of those leagues at least once. In 1990, they joined the Long Island Soccer Football League Division 3 and after winning championships in back-to-back seasons, they were promoted to Division 2.
The club also began to take their game on the road, testing their skills in various tournaments both domestically and internationally.
“In many tournaments outside of the United States, we were the only club representing the United States,” Craig said. “We felt we could play against anyone and the only way we could find out was to travel. We didn’t win every tournament but we did win (some)."
“One thing we stress to our players is the importance of respecting the game,” Swaby said. “We have a list of rules we expect our players to follow. Here we focus on team, not individual talent. Even when we go road trips, we assign the roommates because we want our players to accept everyone instead of staying with their cliques. Originally, when Real Caribe was formed, we were predominantly West Indian and Jamaican club but now we’re a diverse club. We may be different but on the pitch, we’re all the same."
One thing both Hines and Swaby were proud about it how their players were able to make a good life for themselves off the pitch.
“Whenever have former players of different generations watch the current team play, it’s a pleasant to see each side debate which generation had the best team," Hines said. "The reason we’ve been able to remain as long as we have with virtually no financial support is because our former players volunteer their time as coaches."
“By giving back to Real Caribe, they’ve assisted us over the years in our fundraisers and have continued to attend matches. And some alumni now have their sons playing for us. One thing I will say with pride is that I don’t believe there’s been a Caribbean soccer club who has achieved more in the Tri-State area than Real Caribe.”
The next step for Real Caribe is joining the National Premier Soccer League. Both men believe their players are talented enough to play at that level. They’re realistic of the money they have to raise and the obligations entering the next level, and they believe it will happen. It's the next step for a club building on its past to create opportunities for soccer players in their neighborhood and beyond.
Cesar Diaz is a freelance soccer writer for several online publications. If there's a soccer topic you believe that needs to be written about, please feel free to contact him at CoveringSoccer@gmail.com and on twitter @CoveringSoccer.
