Starting 2015 With a Trip to Jamaica with the U-20 MNT for WCQ
A week or so before Christmas I sat down at my computer and began searching for flights where I could use my miles to head somewhere overseas. As I was doing this, I received a note from U.S. Soccer asking if I'd be available and interested in a contract job with them to be press officer for the 2015 U-20 CONCACAF Championship, which would be taking place in Jamaica over three weeks in January.
Fast forward through the exchanges, and on January 2 I joined the U.S. U-20 Men's National Team in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Two days later we departed for Kingston - I was part of a 10+ support staff that would help the 20-man roster try to earn a spot at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
I had traveled for soccer overseas a number of times, many on my own, and a handful of times with Dallas and Colorado for various events, be it meetings with clubs or for preseason or international competitions. But this was my first time going with a U.S. Soccer team. It was an honor, obviously, to be considered and trusted for this opportunity.
We started off in Kingston for the first three games - which didn't go exactly as planned. Guatemala tied us on a late golazo to start the tourney, and then we lost to Panama, 1-0. Needing to finish top three in the group, the guys ran off four straight shutout victories over Aruba, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, and El Salvador to clinch one of the three CONCACAF berths to the World Cup, which would be played in New Zealand in May/June. Games were played at Kingston’s National Stadium - known as 'The Office,' and at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
Former national team midfielder Tab Ramos was the head coach, assisted by Omid Namazi, Russell Payne and former MNT goalkeeper, Brad Friedel - who was still playing for Tottenham.
The roster: GKs: Ethan Horvath, Zack Steffen; DF: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Conor Donovan, Matt Miazga, Shaquell Moore, John Requejo, Tyler Turner; MF: Kellyn Acosta, Fernando Arce, Russell Canouse, Junior Flores, Romain Gall, Lynden Gooch, Emerson Hyndman; FW: Paul Arriola, Bradford Jamieson IV, Amando Moreno, Ben Spencer, Tommy Thompson.
The seriousness of the competition called for little room to explore. And being new to the group, I didn't want to be a distraction by doing things on my own. That said, I learned a while back that you can see a lot out of a bus window.
On a morning run, we ran past Bob Marley's house. On a drive to get a mobile hot spot, we got to see a little of Kingston that we likely wouldn't otherwise have seen. We trained mostly at Arnett Gardens' stadium. They were first in the Jamaican league at the time. The stadium was in the Trench Town neighborhood, made known through a Marley song years ago.
We saw goats roaming the streets, and obviously as had been written and told to us, the area was not the best off. Still, the kids that came to watch training were nice. They wanted to do whatever to retrieve balls that flew over the fence - often time kicking off their flip flops to out-run another, despite the amounts of broken glass beyond the fields.
Halfway through the tournament we had to change venues, driving from Kingston to a nice all-inclusive hotel in Lucea, which is on the upper northwest coast just past Montego Bay. As some called it, it was a cruise ship on land. The buffets may not have been ideal for the athletes, but it was pretty good for the staff. And the beach was nice, too, though time only allowed for short visits in between training / meals.
We returned on Jan. 25 - in the end it turned out to be great experience. Working with U.S. Soccer, seeing the 20s qualify, learning how the Federation approached such events - from a staffing perspective, to how supportive the back office staff is towards all their teams.
