Men's soccer surges during Hispanic Heritage Month

With Brandeis men's soccer off to its best start in a decade in the midst of Hispanic Heritage Month, we spoke with three members of the squad with Central and South American heritage about their time at Brandeis and how soccer has shaped their lives. 

When asked about how meaningful soccer is to their lives, all three players had the same response: everything. This Hispanic Heritage Month, athletes Elan Romo, Juan Vera, and Edson Gomez-Manja spoke on the importance of soccer and their background to their identity. Currently, Romo is cherishing his senior year with the team’s achievements this season, while Vera is always thinking about soccer as it is ingrained in his daily life. Gomez-Manja views soccer as a place where he can play the game he loves with the people he loves.

 In addition to soccer, they all admired their heritage and spoke about the pride they hold in being Hispanic/Latino. Vera hails from Venezuela and mentioned the delicious cuisine with foods like empanadas and tequeños, and the vibrant melodies as highlights. He emphasized his love for Venezuela’s music, saying, “I'm always playing music and showing my teammates the best Spanish songs.” Gomez-Manja values his diverse background, being Colombian and Guatemalan, because it introduced him to different perspectives on how he sees the world. He always stays connected through the music, whether it is salsa or reggaetón, taking it wherever he goes. Gomez-Manja also cites food as a way to remain close to his Guatemalan and Colombian heritage, saying “home-cooked meals from my mom always bring our family together and remind me of my roots.” Romo shows his Brazilian heritage through the way he engages others. He strives to consistently show kindness and mentions that the people in Brazil are “always so happy and cheerful no matter what their life situation is”, citing their giving attitude. He deeply values the connection between being Brazilian and a soccer player, as the sport is so ingrained in his culture.

Soccer has also been valuable to them because of the lessons they’ve learned and the resilience they’ve built. Romo and Gomez-Manja talked about how they had to navigate through injuries that have impacted them throughout the seasons they’ve played. Vera spoke on the difficulties of receiving constructive criticism, stating that “no one wants to be told that what they're doing is not good enough,” but emphasized how important it is to a player’s growth.  These experiences gave them new perspectives on patience, working towards improvement, and accepting feedback. 

Outside of being student athletes, they all cherish time spent with loved ones and participate in multiple clubs for community and their hobbies. Romo loves to play Padel and Brazilian soccer-related games, like Altinha and Footvolley, which are similar to volleyball and soccer juggling. Gomez-Manja enjoys time with friends and family and participates in Student Athletes of Color, Brandeis Investment Club, and Cru, a Christian fellowship group. Vera is also a member of Student Athletes of Color and Student Athletes Without Borders, where student-athletes build a supportive, inclusive community. Off the pitch, all 3 players have established great relationships with each other. Gomez-Manja mentioned how Vera and Romo have become older brothers to him, mentoring him in school, sports, and life. They described each other as hardworking individuals who have amazing attitudes, showing a tight-knit and positive culture that has developed on the team. 

Ultimately, these players have incredible backgrounds and stories that brought them here together. “All of the lessons I've learned from soccer such as accountability, team work, discipline, and more have made me the man I am today,” says Vera, “and I couldn't be more grateful.”