PH Soccer is a destination for international students

However, what is different is that the name is displayed above each cubicle. A small but prominent national flag is included next to each player, an emblem representing each player's country of origin.

The various flags in this room feature the many children from all over the world who somehow ended up in Roanoke and found their way to the Patrick Henry High School football team.

“I didn't expect to see my flag there, but everyone was happy to see it right next to their name,” said sophomore Nate Casinga. “It's my first time playing with all these different people, but it's really cool. We're all together as a family. We didn't know each other before, but it's great to be here together.” That’s it.”

Over the past 20 years, the Patriots have welcomed players from 30 countries into the program, including refugees, immigrants and international students, who have learned to come together, bond and succeed as one team.

That led to numerous winning seasons for PH, with dozens of players leapfrogging their high school careers into college and even professional careers.

Junior Honore Tumsif attributes their unity to love and communication. For senior Rodrigue Moussa, it's about humility. And for sophomore Christian Casinga, it's the camaraderie of football players that unites them all.

“We like to think that this is my brother,” said Christian Kasinga from Congo. “We don't say he's white or black, we look at it together. As coach taught us, we're all brothers.”

Chris Dowdy doesn't remember the team being this diverse when he took over the program.

He played on a high school team that lacked it, but the college team was the opposite. He “really enjoyed it,” so when he took over as head coach of the Patriots in 2005, he discovered the versatility that already existed in Roanoke's Patrick Henry and wanted to emulate it. . The city has long served as a reception point for refugees from difficult regions around the world.

Dowdy wanted to encourage more athletes to try out for soccer teams, especially those who couldn't join club teams or participate in city recreation programs. Athletes whose talent in sports is unlikely to attract attention.

“The more kids we bring in from everywhere, the more we build the program,” Dowdy said. “That was the beginning. Every year since then…we've become more and more diverse and seem to reflect the population of the school.”

This year's team, which started the season with an impressive 6-2-1 record, represents six countries from four continents: Congo, Burundi, Haiti, Honduras, Spain, and the United States.

While this isn't typical of a traditional high school team in Southwest Virginia, one Mr. Dowdy said he prepares his players beyond high school, including his son, Sam Dowdy.

“I think it’s really unique,” ​​Chris Dowdy said with a laugh. “I don’t know how to quantify that.

“I could have easily gotten my first coaching job somewhere else in the Valley, but it wouldn’t have been like this. We want them to go there because this is just a reflection of what their real-life experience would be like.”

Last season, Patrick Henry's team had a player from South America, but he spoke little English and mainly spoke Spanish.

This caused a bit of a problem for Chris Dowdy, who knew some Spanish but was far from proficient.

So how did he solve it? He grabbed the team manager, a student who spoke fluent Spanish, and kept him by his side, and spoke to the players through the manager as a translator.

Dowdy said this situation has happened many times over the past 20 years, but with the help of the school's English language learner program, most children are okay. Additionally, PH has many students from different countries, so it can be difficult to find someone who speaks the same language and can support you.

“You need to be aware of it, know how to deal with it and plan for it, but it's never really presented itself as a problem,” Chris Dowdy said. “It’s kind of a cool obstacle.”

The players come from a variety of countries, upbringings, backgrounds, and circumstances, but what they all have in common is a love for soccer.

The world's most popular sport, soccer (also known as football) boasts an estimated fan base of 3.5 billion people spread across more than 200 countries, and its popularity in the United States continues to grow. According to a 2018 Gallup poll, soccer is the fourth most popular sport in the country, ahead of hockey and auto racing.

Nate Kasinga from Congo said, “I started playing soccer at a young age, so wherever I go there's soccer and it's a place where I feel at home.'' “When I started playing soccer here at the school in high school, it was great.”

Musa, who moved to Roanoke from Burundi, said some of his teammates played on clean fields in large stadiums in their respective countries, while others, like him, played in the mud. . But even so, no one on the team thinks they own the team or that they're playing better than anyone else.

“I think bringing different experiences makes the team even better because each one brings something different to their game. The playing styles are varied,” he said. “And we have some really great coaches to play with.”

Dowdy said his modus operandi is just to go out and play. Football is what unites them all and is a universal language. He doesn't spend an inordinate amount of time on X's and O's.

“Everything about the game is so relatable to kids and they feel so comfortable because that's the language we speak in the first place,” he said. “I feel like 90 percent of what we do is just giving love to the kids. Being there for them, motivating them, playing hard. I think the kids really respond to that by encouraging them to use their God-given talents.”

For the past 12 years, the Patriots have held an annual beach trip at the beginning of the season with the goal of building team chemistry.

Activities during this trip include a bit of training at Duke University and some community service, but mostly it's just a relaxing opportunity for the players to get to know each other off the field.

“You end up sharing a room with a bunch of guys you never expected, and it's a great bonding experience,” said Sam Dowdy, of Roanoke. “We're really close.”

That's Chris Dowdy's goal. He doesn't try to make his nationality a central part of the program, and only displays the flag in the locker room to remind his players of their roots.

Instead of referring to the hometown of each player, the team refers to the team. After all, every child wants to be part of a team.

“When you put on the jersey, we want everyone to feel like they're a patriot of this school and we're playing football together,” Chris Dowdy said. “I want to know what they did on the field, what they did in the classroom, and who they are as a person.”

The friendship not only led to success on the field, but also a close relationship born of mutual respect.

“What's special is that you get to make new friends,” says Tumsif, who is originally from Burundi. “You get to make friends with new people you've never met before. The important thing is that they treat you right and treat you the way you want to be treated.”

In one public recognition, all graduates of the Patrick Henry boys soccer team are presented with a large flag of their home country and draped over themselves during the senior night walkout.

Being a Patriot and playing on this team may be the most important thing, but they can't forget their story.

“It's imperative that they recognize and respect where they come from,” Chris Dowdy said. “American children will get American flags, too, because it's important.”

Patrick Henry has inspired many footballers to progress to higher levels. Born in a refugee camp in Tanzania, Irakoze Donasiyano, a 2017 graduate, played at the University of Virginia before being selected by Nashville SC with the 20th overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. He currently plays for the national team of his native Burundi.

Eric Kirosho, a 2021 graduate from Congo, is currently playing at George Mason and could be drafted. And Fayanga Keita was the Patriots' first Division I player, 2009 graduate and eventual inductee into the Patrick Henry Hall of Fame.

A total of 45 PH soccer players reached the collegiate level during Chris Dowdy's tenure, including 17 Division I players and four eventual All-Americans, he said. Ta.

“They have had a huge impact on our team's success,” Chris Dowdy said.

This success is emblematic of what the PH soccer program has strived for, both individually and collectively. He gathers a group of children from all over the world into one united team and lets them play their favorite sport.

“We want everyone to feel so comfortable that it doesn't matter,” Chris Dowdy said. “Football is what brings us together in this environment, so let's talk about that. Let's talk about family, unity and brotherhood and soccer.”