|
Avery John, Kogod ’99
Avery John is a defender for Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution.
Even now, almost a year after Avery John represented his native Trinidad and Tobago on soccer’s biggest stage, the World Cup, he can vividly recall many details of an experience he describes as “surreal.”
“You’re coming into the stadium and there are cameras everywhere,” says the 31-year-old. “The fans are unbelievable. The security was unbelievable. Our hotel was beautiful; the food was beautiful; the people were beautiful. It was a blessing.”
That Trinidad and Tobago, with a population of 1.3 million, even made the tournament was a shocking upset. A nation of islands in the Caribbean, the country is the smallest ever to qualify for the cup. John spent his childhood on Trinidad, playing cricket, basketball, and running track. It wasn’t until he was 10 that he became serious about soccer.
John earned a scholarship to soccer power Yavapai Junior College in Arizona, where he had a storybook career, eventually earning induction into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame in Tyler, Texas.
In 1995 the defender from the West Indies moved to one of the most powerful cities in the world.
“I felt that being over here, basketball and football were the number one sports,” he says. “I wanted to go somewhere where soccer was one of the main sports, and American University was that, but at the same time I was interested in studying business, and American University was ranked very high. Washington was the place to be for business.”
His career with the Eagles was marked by numerous successes. He was a two-time all-conference selection, and in his senior season he helped AU win the conference championship and advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. After earning a degree in business administration, with a specialization in international marketing, John embarked on a professional career that has taken him around the globe. He played in minor leagues in the United States and the premier league in Ireland before signing with Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution in 2004.
“The last two years we’ve made it to the final,” he says. “We haven’t won it, but we’re hoping that this year that will happen. The league itself is growing; it’s taking a little time, but I think more people, the youth of this generation, are really loving to come out and support us.”
Support wasn’t an issue in Germany last summer, where Trinidad put on a solid showing, tying Sweden and losing to England and Paraguay. The team’s determined style of play earned it the support of fans from all over the world.
“Just to be on that stage was absolutely brilliant,” John says. “The passion there was unbelievable. To be part of the group to create history is amazing.”
The team won’t ever be forgotten in Trinidad and Tobago, a country with African, Indian, Asian, and European roots. John, who lives outside of Boston, makes it back as often as he can to see his family and countrymen, but his visits don’t last long. The soccer field always beckons.
“My whole life I’ve been traveling, and it’s amazing,” he says. “I’ve accomplished it doing my hobby, and my hobby is my job. It’s been everything I dreamed.” —Mike Unger continued next page |
