Diversity has Northeast soccer thriving
Growing up in Monrovia, Liberia, Phedel Saye played soccer in the streets of his country's capital. His parents, Wilfred and Helena, encouraged him to play as often as he could, so much so that the forward joked that they "forced him" outside sometimes.
Growing up in Monrovia, Liberia, Phedel Saye played soccer in the streets of his country's capital.
His parents, Wilfred and Helena, encouraged him to play as often as he could, so much so that the forward joked that they "forced him" outside sometimes.
When he was 12 years old, Saye and his family left Liberia. But before that, for seven years, he learned how to play the game in much different conditions than those of a grassy yard.
After he moved to Philadelphia, he took his talents to Northeast.
And he's not the only one.
Saye is one of fourteen Vikings (12-1-1) on the roster who were born in another country. Ghana, Iraq, Ecuador, Guatemala, Pakistan, Portugal, Liberia, Colombia, Bangladesh, Haiti, Sudan, Palestine, Egypt and the United States are all represented.
Several different languages are spoken too: English, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, and Bengali-with variations on Liberian and Ghanaian dialects as well.
"It's the diversity of northeast Philly," coach Kraig Feldman said.
Not every player's situation is exactly like Saye's. Some departed their native country at a younger age, others older. Some settled in the area right away, others found another location first.
Center midfielder Christian Escobar left Colombia when he was a toddler and played his first two years of high school ball at Father Judge before transferring, while Adin Hernandez-Carrera was born in Guatemala, where his father shared his passion for soccer with Adin and his six sisters. Hernandez-Carrera, a forward, moved when he was five.
Charles Afful is the newest member of the team, having moved from Ghana in February and participating in workouts with the group that spring.
"We've become a whole family - just from different countries," Hernandez-Carrera said. "Everybody comes and learns the game. The way coach teaches us is way different than everybody else."
Over the years, the Vikings have become representative of the larger demographics in the area. Before Feldman took over in 2013, his father, Sam, was the coach for 10 years. In that time, he said there were years the roster was dominated by Greek players, another season the majority were Albanian.
But the current roster is the most diverse in the time since either Feldman was at the helm.
It's a characteristic that is paying off for the newly crowned Public League champions - an honor the team has earned four times since 2007.
It also has the squad thinking about the state tournament, where Northeast fell to Archbishop Wood, 3-2, in a game they once led, 2-0.
"They understand the implications, especially from our loss last year," Feldman said. "They are very excited and gung ho over the opportunity."
That opportunity comes Thursday, when Northeast takes the field for the District 12 AAA championship against Roman at 7 p.m. A win and the Vikings earn a berth in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs. Lose and the season is over.
Northeast's turf is a much different surface from the one Saye played on as a child. At 1601 Cottman Avenue, he is able to run on a much bigger field, with more space to move the ball around and find streaking teammates.
He may have learned the game in the streets, but now he plays the biggest games under the lights.