Waving one flag: They come from many backgrounds, but give their all for EHT

By DAVE O’SULLIVAN
Staff Writer
About a decade ago, Somali-Canadian recording artist K’naan released a song called “Wavin’ Flag”, an anthem to inspire the Somalian people in their quest for freedom. The song gained traction when it was chosen as the anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and while it chronicles the desperation of a nation at war, there also is underlying hope for the future, that people could come together for the greater good.
That happened right before our eyes on soccer fields throughout the Cape-Atlantic League this fall, as young men from all different types of backgrounds came together for the greater good of one team, one program, one family, and put together perhaps the greatest season in Egg Harbor Township boys soccer history.
The Eagles featured 23 players on the varsity roster, and among them 18 different nationalities were represented in one form or another. Yet the Eagles players overcame these differences and in some cases language barriers, and came to embrace the various cultures represented on that sheet of paper handed out to officials prior to every game. They came together as one unit, won 18 games and went on a thrilling playoff run that ended in heartbreak with a 2-1 overtime loss to Toms River North in the South Jersey Group 4 championship game.

And while EHT didn’t win a CAL American, CAL Tournament or sectional championship, the bonds the Eagles made along the way — and they way they learned to respect different cultures and customs — will mean much more to these players as they go on in life than a trophy on a shelf.
“I like it. We had a lot of good chemistry going and worked well as a team. It was a good season. There are so many different backgrounds on this team and it’s really interesting to see. I’ve learned a lot from the guys, they are very open about what’s going on in their lives,” said senior captain Cole Gordon, one of the few players on the team who is more than one generation removed from immigration to America. “Not all these other schools have that going on. We get that here and I think it’s a good thing to have.”
“I know our team is pretty diverse. We always consider EHT a melting pot, student-wise, and through the years we’ve had athletes from all over. It’s pretty unique to have that many nationalities — and personalities — come together and do what we did this year. From Vietnam to Colombia to Honduras, we’re all over the place. It’s pretty neat,” said head coach Pete Lambert. “We have a lot of fun. We bust each other’s chops a little and we all root for different nations when it comes to soccer, but when you really break it down and start talking to these kids, you really learn a lot about their culture and their family history, where they came from and how they got here. Sometimes they still have family back in their home countries and they go visit. A kid like Brandon Berrio, he went back to Colombia last summer and he had difficulty getting out of the country. He was three weeks late getting back. It was all about paperwork and he almost couldn’t leave the country.”
As he has reflected on this season, and having such a diverse roster, coach Lambert said he has gained new respect for what some of his players have to go through. Some are coming to a brand new country as teenagers and have to assimilate into not only a new teen world, but a whole new world in general.
“Even a kid like Nhan Le, who came from Vietnam three years ago not knowing a lick of English and he’ll be graduating this year, he’s taking the S.A.T.s and looking to get into a college. It’s neat to see him grow and learn the language — English is not an easy language to learn, and to do it in three years is pretty impressive. We have a lot of kids like that who speak two or three languages and take care of their family at home. Outside of soccer they work a lot to help support their family. It’s unique and something that sometimes I take for granted, and it’s not until we sit down and talk with these kids that we realize what they go through just to get into this country,” Lambert said. “They are all good kids. They all have their own stories and they are fun to be around. We had our banquet recently and it was hard to say goodbye (to the seniors), but I just kept telling them to remember what we did and the fun times we had. We really bought into that family bond that we wanted, and that really helped us move forward this year.”
What has made the transition to their new world easier for some is the sport of soccer itself. It’s the most popular sport in the world, and many of the players come from countries where soccer is not just a sport, but a way of life.

“These guys are born with a soccer ball at their feet. Soccer has become more and more popular in America, but these guys come from these other nations where soccer is the No. 1 sport. Here, you have the NBA and NFL, but to these kids soccer is everything,” Lambert said. “And even more so for their parents, they are just as into it as the kids are and they represent their nationalities at games and team dinners. Soccer is one of those sports where you can buy into it from a very young age and support a team or a nation for your whole life.”
Once the grind of the preseason began in August, these players didn’t see each other as being from Vietnam, or Honduras, or Nigieria — they just saw the black-and-white of the Eagles’ uniforms, and a player next to them who could help them reach their ultimate goal of playing for a South Jersey championship.
“A lot of guys don’t see any differences, we’re all just EHT. We might have 10 or 12 different nationalities on the team, but these guys are so used to being around each other through the years that they don’t see that you’re from Colombia, or you’re from Honduras. It’s more of, ‘you’re one of us. You’re a part of EHT and we’re going to support you moving forward,’” Lambert said. “As these kids move on and graduate, they’ll be better for it, just being around these guys and bonding. Getting to know their culture and language, things like that. I’ve learned a lot from being around these guys, learning how tough things can be back in the countries they come from, and how they have overcome that and other obstacles to become the people they are today. I feel like I’m better for it just being around these guys. I think the younger guys are better for it, too.”
Many of the guys from this year’s team will be graduating in about seven months, but Lambert said he and his coaching staff — particularly with this group — will be inclined to stay in touch with this year’s seniors to see how they progress through the next stages of their lives.
“We get them for four years but as they move on we’ll continue to talk with them about life. It’s neat,” he said. “For some of these guys to overcome playing JV for a couple years and then playing varsity, and making the best of it, it’s pretty awesome.”
Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Here is a look at the nationality/heritage of each of the players on the Egg Harbor Township boys soccer varsity roster:
Honduran: Kevin Aguiriano; Henry Calix; Manuel Ruiz; Lucas Lainez; Angel Cruz. Trinidadian: Jayden Guy. African-American: Ahmad Brock. Colombian: Nico Rubio; Victor Marin; Brandon Berrio. Vietnamese: Luan Duong; Nhan Le. Mexican: Luis Ceron. Nigerian: Ayotoye Oguntuase: Greek: Eleftherios “E.J.” Martin; Christian “C.P.” Paskalides. Polish: Dominik Warda. German: Nathan Biersbach. Italian: Cole Gordon. Mixed: Burak Cimen (Turkish & Macedonian); Jefferson Castro (Peruvian & Filipino); Tyler Weller (Puerto Rican & German); Joey Moller (Irish, English, German, Italian)
Special thanks to Luan Duong for player nationality research