San Antonio FC defender Sam McBride sees his neighbor on most mornings when she leaves her apartment to take her two kids to school.
He can't imagine what she's thinking when she looks back and sees 20 of her neighbors, all in their 20's wandering around in soccer shorts.
"She doesn't know how old we are or what we do," said defender Sam McBride. "She probably doesn't think we have jobs, since we're never dressed for work and we're hanging around the lobby a lot."
Having all moved to town at the same time in February, most of the players on San Antonio FC live together in the same apartment complex near Toyota Field.
Without cable or internet in their rooms when they first got situated, the players spent their time sitting together in the complex lobby or by the pool. What started out as a way to escape boredom has turned into accelerated team bonding for a new team. Yes, these are the people who use the apartment complex lobby.
"After practice, we'd all go straight to this lobby for the Wi-Fi," defender Greg Cochrane said. "It was like being in a dorm lounge again. And it actually brought us all closer together."
Many of these players met for the first time in February, but as they head to Seattle for SAFC's first match on April 3, they've all built strong friendships.
Part of that has to do with the fact that almost the entire team lives in the same complex, except for a few players who were already living in San Antonio.
Every player in the complex has one or two roommates on the team, but they'll often hang out in the apartments with the biggest TVs. One apartment can have a "Game of Thrones" marathon playing, while another might have a FIFA 16 Xbox tournament. One player will text a message on WhatsApp that he's getting food, and suddenly half his teammates are there.
When Champions League is on, they're all watching together.
"It's helped us get to know each other past a surface level," Manolo Sanchez said. "Before we got Wi-Fi, people were breaking out cards and chess sets. One guy broke out a giant DVD collection. We never thought we'd need DVDs again, but there you go."
There have also been team building events at bowling and Top Golf, and the team even got in some laser tag on an off day.
In some ways, the team's living situation is a bit of a sociology exercise. They're a diverse group, with players from nine different states and five international players from England, Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica and Honduras.
While a couple of the players aren't native English speakers, there are plenty of bilingual translators around.
"When guys translate for Rafa, they use different inflections," said Michael Reed. "Rafa's a fiery guy, and (assistant coach) Juan Lamadrid is like that too, so they're both fired up when Juan's translating. Miguel Salazar is pretty casual, so he's laid back, and sometimes you wonder, 'Miguel, are you really saying what he's saying?'"
Forward Jason Johnson said the team has used the diversity to its advantage, because "we're learning from each other and we're here for a common cause."
For Johnson, it helps that he has teammates in Shawn Chin and Milton Palacios who share his love for reggae music.
"We all speak the same language, and that's soccer," midfielder Carlos Alvarez said. "We're a family of brothers all fighting for the same thing. We want the best for each other, and we have a common goal to win for SAFC."
As for whose apartment is the messiest? Reed guessed it would be that of McBride, Salazar and Austin Dunker, because they're all recent college graduates. McBride said that isn't the case. They're all professionals, after all.
"We've all come together in a few weeks, different styles, ethnicities, nations, religions," Reed said. "We've all united under one symbol, our SAFC crest. That's unique, and you don't see that in many places in life."
San Antonio FC defender Sam McBride sees his neighbor on most mornings when she leaves her apartment to take her two kids to school.
He can’t imagine what she’s thinking when she looks back and sees 20 of her neighbors, all in their 20’s wandering around in soccer shorts.
“She doesn’t know how old we are or what we do,” said defender Sam McBride. “She probably doesn’t think we have jobs, since we’re never dressed for work and we’re hanging around the lobby a lot.”
Having all moved to town at the same time in February, most of the players on San Antonio FC live together in the same apartment complex near Toyota Field.
Without cable or internet in their rooms when they first got situated, the players spent their time sitting together in the complex lobby or by the pool. What started out as a way to escape boredom has turned into accelerated team bonding for a new team. Yes, these are the people who use the apartment complex lobby.
“After practice, we’d all go straight to this lobby for the Wi-Fi,” defender Greg Cochrane said. “It was like being in a dorm lounge again. And it actually brought us all closer together.”
Many of these players met for the first time in February, but as they head to Seattle for SAFC’s first match on April 3, they’ve all built strong friendships.
Part of that has to do with the fact that almost the entire team lives in the same complex, except for a few players who were already living in San Antonio.
Every player in the complex has one or two roommates on the team, but they’ll often hang out in the apartments with the biggest TVs. One apartment can have a “Game of Thrones” marathon playing, while another might have a FIFA 16 Xbox tournament. One player will text a message on WhatsApp that he’s getting food, and suddenly half his teammates are there.
When Champions League is on, they’re all watching together.
“It’s helped us get to know each other past a surface level,” Manolo Sanchez said. “Before we got Wi-Fi, people were breaking out cards and chess sets. One guy broke out a giant DVD collection. We never thought we’d need DVDs again, but there you go.”
There have also been team building events at bowling and Top Golf, and the team even got in some laser tag on an off day.
In some ways, the team’s living situation is a bit of a sociology exercise. They’re a diverse group, with players from nine different states and five international players from England, Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica and Honduras.
While a couple of the players aren’t native English speakers, there are plenty of bilingual translators around.
“When guys translate for Rafa, they use different inflections,” said Michael Reed. “Rafa’s a fiery guy, and (assistant coach) Juan Lamadrid is like that too, so they’re both fired up when Juan’s translating. Miguel Salazar is pretty casual, so he’s laid back, and sometimes you wonder, ‘Miguel, are you really saying what he’s saying?'”
Forward Jason Johnson said the team has used the diversity to its advantage, because “we’re learning from each other and we’re here for a common cause.”
For Johnson, it helps that he has teammates in Shawn Chin and Milton Palacios who share his love for reggae music.
“We all speak the same language, and that’s soccer,” midfielder Carlos Alvarez said. “We’re a family of brothers all fighting for the same thing. We want the best for each other, and we have a common goal to win for SAFC.”
As for whose apartment is the messiest? Reed guessed it would be that of McBride, Salazar and Austin Dunker, because they’re all recent college graduates. McBride said that isn’t the case. They’re all professionals, after all.
“We’ve all come together in a few weeks, different styles, ethnicities, nations, religions,” Reed said. “We’ve all united under one symbol, our SAFC crest. That’s unique, and you don’t see that in many places in life.”
