Positions | Forwards

Name: Tom Athey
Age: 62
First Played: Age 28
Years Playing: 35

“I had been here for 6 years, and I was, I played a lot of hacky sack, and I got recruited by some guys cause I had foot skills but I knew nothing about the game.”

Tom Athey has been playing with the same team since he first started playing soccer. The Shiners, after the beer, recruited him in Zilker and introduced him to the game and the league. The River City Rangers / the Shiners were in the first iteration of the Austin Municipal Soccer Association, and even though they lost their sponsorship, the team has spawned numerous other teams in different divisions.

Soccer has provided a community for the River City rangers, as they have been having father-child teams every summer for the last twenty years. The team dimension adds to the flair and joy Tom Athey took from his original sport – hacky sack.

Locations Played:

• St. Louis, Missouri
• Phoenix, Arizona
• St. Louis King of France Catholic School Gym | Austin, Texas
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• Zilker Park | Austin, Texas

Additional Information

• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Tom Athey, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Tom Athey, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Alexis Bartolo
Current Age: 20
First Played: Age 6
Years Playing: 14

“I have some knowledge about soccer, so I might as well spread it out.”

Alexis started playing because his brothers started playing. As he put it, his parents said, “might as well” have all sibling play in the same space at the same time. The group of kids he started playing with moved with him from the local recreational center to Millenium Kids. These became the people he played with through high school.

Alexis has been more interested in smaller informal and – paradoxically – long standing pickup games across Austin. he finds pick up games on turf at UT Austin, and games in other places. He learns of these games through his network. As it turns out, Alexis “knows something of soccer.”

Locations Played:

• Dove Springs Rec Center | Austin, Texas
• Millennium Entertainment Center | Austin, Texas
• Caven Lacrosse and Sports Center | Austin, Texas
• Jester Dorm Fields | Austin, Texas
• Zilker Park | Austin, Texas
• Rosewood Neighborhood Park | Austin, Texas

Additional Information

• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Alexis Bartolo, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Alexis Bartolo, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Alan Campbell
Age: 63
First Played: Age 3
Years Playing: 60

Growing up in Scotland, soccer was a way of life for Alan Campbell. He has been playing the sport since he was a young boy. Today, he continues to play to stay fit and contributes the growth of soccer in Austin to the improving infrastructure, growing soccer leagues, and diversity and immigration from different international backgrounds.

“I always say, you can look good on a bad team or you can look bad on a good team. And I err on looking good on a bad team”

Locations Played:

• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex  | Austin, Texas
• South East Metro Park | Austin, Texas
• Zilker Park | Austin, Texas
• Northeast Metro Park | Pflugerville, Texas

Additional Information

• Rickey A. Johnson, Interview with Alan Campbell, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)

Name: Samira Cordero
Current Age: 20
First Played: Age 8
Years Playing: 12

“My dad and my sister and my brother. Yeah. My family loves soccer.”

Samira Cordero took to soccer, once she had the opportunity to play. She started playing at school in her middle school’s team, until a select team invited her to play with them. Her skills are evident, as she is currently a varsity athlete at Huston Tillotson College.

Although she started playing organized soccer in middle school, her whole family has been playing soccer for some time. Her father played with leagues, and this attention to the craft of soccer has passed onto Samira and her siblings.

Locations Played:

• Dove Springs FC | Austin, Texas
• Del Valle High School | Del Valle, Texas
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• Northeast Metro Park | Pflugerville, Texas
• Huston-Tillotson College | Houston, Texas

Additional Information

• Carlos Flores, Interview with Simira Cordero, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• Carlos Flores, Interview with Simira Cordero, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Arlet Garcia
Current Age: 21
First Played: Age 9
Years Playing: 12

“It can be competitive, but it's just depending on the team.”

Arlet Garcia’s family put her in a soccer league in South Austin when she was nine. She kept on playing, whether indoor at Millenium, with her high school in Del Valle.

She has continued her career in soccer, playing in Texas A&M and, whenever she can, with her old teammates here in Austin.

Locations Played:

• Millenium Kids | Austin, Texas
• Mendez Middle School | Austin, Texas
• Dove Springs Rec Center | Austin, Texas
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• Texas A&M | College Station, TX

Additional Information

• Carlos Flores, Interview with Arlet Garcia, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• Carlos Flores, Interview with Arlet Garcia, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Gabriela Garcia
Current Age: 20
First Played: Age 3
Years Playing: 17

“Soccer's always kind of been in my family, my dad and my grandpa, they all played.”

“I started playing when I was six. My brother started playing, so then I kind of wanted to do what he did.”

Soccer is a family thing in the Garcia family, and Gabriela Garcia is part of this family thing. She claimed her place on the field when her brother started playing. They played on the same teams around Austin growing up, making soccer a family thing for her, her parents and her grandparents. She is currently playing on the varsity team at Huston – Tillotson, a choice that came easily to her.

Locations Played:

• Millenium Kids | Austin, Texas
• Del Valle High School | Del Valle, Texas
• Huston Tillotson College | Austin, Texas
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, TX
• Northeast Metro Park | Pflugerville, Texas

Additional Information

• Carlos Flores, Interview with Gabriela Garcia, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• Carlos Flores, Interview with Gabriela Garcia, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Diana Harrell
Age: 58
First Played: Age 24
Years Playing: 34

Diana Harrell stumbled upon soccer through a youth league. After her son’s coach quit, Diana volunteered to replace her as coach, and as a player in the Austin Womens Coed Soccer league. Within a few years, Diana was involved as a player in the Womens League and as an administrator for the youth soccer association.

“I LOVE the competition – winning the ball, making a great play, sending a perfect ball, seeing the opening, rippling the back of the net, and celebrating a goal”

Locations Played:

• Town Lake YMCA | Austin, Texas
• South West YMCA | Austin, Texas
• Oak Hill Middle School| Austin, Texas
• Zilker Park| Austin, Texas
• Mendez Middle School | Austin, Texas
• East Metro Park| Austin, Texas
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• North East Metro Park, Pflugerville

Additional Information

• John Lilly, Interview with Diana Harrell, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)

Name: Jacqueline Ibarra
Current Age: 20
First Played: Age 6
Years Playing: 14

“it’s the adrenaline. … and the teamwork.”

Like a skilled midfielder, Jacky Ibarra has been moving in and out of organized soccer as long as she can remember. Part of the reason why is the richness of her family, as she played soccer on a team with her cousins as well as playing for her schools since late elementary. The game continues to be rewarding for her and she continues to participate, both in college and when she comes home, because, as she reflects, “it keeps you going.”

Locations Played:

• Millenium Kids | Austin, Texas
• Dove Springs Rec center | Austin, Texas
• Hillcrest Elementary | Austin, Texas
• Del Valle High School | Del Valley, Texas
• Texas State University | San Marcos, Texas
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• Northeast Metro | Pflugerville, Texas

Additional Information

• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Jacqueline Ibarra, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Jacqueline IBarra, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Cristobal Juarez
Current Age: 20
First Played: Age 3
Years Playing: 17

Chris Juarez learned about soccer from the blinking screen. His first memories include watching his father watching soccer on TV. Over time, Chris moved from watching to playing, first with his dad and then in the neighborhood league.

Christopher Juarez had talent. In addition to playing at the Millenium Center and his school teams, his family became involved in the traveling teams, bringing him in contact with other clubs across Texas, in addition to playing soccer with his high school. He continues to be dedicated to his craft, playing after work “almost every day.”

Locations Played:

• Millennium Kids | Austin, Texas
• Dove Springs Rec center | Austin, Texas
• Lone Star United Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• Del Valle High School | Del Valley, Texas
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• Northeast metropolitan park | Pflugerville, Texas

Additional Information

• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Cristobal Juarez, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Cristobal Juarez, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Rafael Melcho
Age: 40s
First Played: Age 25
Years Playing: 15

“The players I play against now are rough. They hit you a lot here. You must pass the ball early before anyone starts marking you or else you will get hit. If you know how to play, you need to keep practicing and learn how to pass the ball. If not, they will come at you with everything they’ve got.”

Rafael Melchor came to soccer at 25. This is different than most people with roots in Latin America who grew up with the sport in their family, on TV, in school, and in the streets. This delay enabled Rafael to commit to soccer fully, to move from defense to being the striker and attacking midfielder for his team. He is very aware of where people are and how they play, which comes through in his emphasis on passing, both for the team and to avoid injury. Competitive organized soccer has become a centerpiece in his life, something he did not do at an earlier stage.

Locations Played:

• Mexico
• Onion Creek Soccer Complex | Austin, Texas
• East Metro Park | Manor, Texas
• Northeast Metro Park | Pflugerville, TX

Additional Information

• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Rafael Melchor, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Rafael Melchor, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview translation, mp4 file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Rafael Melchor, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview audio, mp4 file)

Name: Flyree McGee 
Age: 48 
First Played: Age 8 
Years Playing: 40

“The teamwork that you develop with the people that you play with is just amazing, and then, you just become really good friends with them as well, and that’s what keeps me coming back, is meeting the people”

Originally from Eggenstein Germany, Flyree McGhee started playing soccer when her family moved to the United States. She has played for womens soccer teams in Manchester, Connecticut, Corpus Christi and Austin, Texas.

Locations Played:

• Manchester, Connecticut
• Corpus Christi, Texas
• Austin, Texas

Additional Information

• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with Flyree McGee, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (pdf file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with FlyreeMcGee, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview 1 audio, mp4 file)
• John Mckiernan-González, Interview with FlyreeMcGee, At Play: Futbol in the Land of Football (interview 2 audio, mp4 file)