BOCA RATON, Fla. — Former members of the Haitian national soccer team spent time in Boca Raton this week mentoring the next generation of players, just days after a thrilling Wednesday night match against Morocco.
For Nohe Chevry, one of the young players taking part, soccer has always been more than a game.
"It was really the only sport in Haiti, so I played it with my friends, and it was super fun," Chevry said.
Soccer served as a safe haven for Chevry and his family as unrest grew in Haiti.
"Haiti was in a bad state, so for safety we just moved here," Chevry said.
In 2022, Chevry and his family moved to Palm Beach County. A top priority was finding a local soccer team, which led him to the L'Union Fait La Force Training Center.
"It's a great opportunity to learn; they've been through all of the soccer stuff, pro contracts, so they can teach us, and it's really kind of them to do that," Chevry said.
L'Union Fait La Force (LFLF) is a premier soccer development program run by former Haitian National Team members, including former team captain Jean-Marc Alexandre.
"The whole purpose of this camp is to give these kids a pathway to the youth national team, being that they're not living in Haiti, so we give opportunities to the next generation," Alexandre said.
Alexandre is an Atlantic High School and Lynn University graduate, former Haiti national team captain and member of Real Salt Lake's 2009 MLS Cup-winning team.
LFLF is hosting a clinic teaching top-level Haitian soccer players, including Chevry and Luis Etienne, the ins and outs of the sport, from June 25-28.
"It's nice that they're giving us the opportunity to come out here and give us this opportunity to potentially get some exposure for the national team," Etienne said.
For Chevry, the goals extend well beyond this week's clinic.
"I will take this to a high level, and my goal is to play in the World Cup and probably win it," Chevry said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
