City Hawks Striving for Another USA Games Soccer Championship
By Randy Robertson, New York City & Hudson Valley Regional Storyteller
New York, NY – Mouhamed Kebbeh knows the moment is coming soon, when he’ll be tested under a spotlight many other athletes might dread. Kebbeh plays goaltender, often the loneliest position on a soccer field, but also at times a place of intense drama during the most critical moments of games.
When Kebbeh and the public school 721M City Hawks take the field to compete in the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota beginning June 20, there will be plenty of shots kicked his way that Mouhamed will easily catch or knock away. But Kebbeh also recognizes that to win a gold medal on a national stage, he’s probably going to face a challenging moment or two each game when he’s got to turn away an opponent’s best scoring chance with all eyes in the stadium watching him.
“It’s the hardest position on the field because a goalie is the one who saves the game,” Kebbeh said during a break at a recent practice in lower Manhattan. “When you get a one versus one breakaway sometimes the defenders are not with you. You have to be able to put yourself on the line for the team.”
At 6-foot-2 and nearly as lean as a soccer post, Kebbeh brings incredible quickness and athleticism to the field every game. A native of Gambia, Kebbeh also has a wealth of experience and confidence that coaches Oscar Vicente and Joseph Stewart can count on against any opponent.
After all, it was Kebbeh who stepped up four years ago and shifted from defender most of the season to goaltender and helped lead the City Hawks to the Unified Soccer national championship at the USA Games in Florida. This go-around, the City Hawks will field a Traditional club, and Coach Vicente likes his team’s chances with Kebbeh guarding the net.
“Mouhamed helps us a ton,” Coach Vicente said. “It’s hard to say who the MVP of the team is, but he could be our MVP. He’s such a star on his own. And he helps out the team and he’s all about the team.”
Coach Vicente, who played high school soccer on Long Island, repeatedly talks about teamwork and why team camaraderie is so important. It’s not like his impressive goaltender will be out there by himself by any means, in fact two other standouts from the Unified championship team of 2022 remain. When the City Hawks run onto the field in Minnesota in their royal blue uniforms, Thierno Diop and Mario Nunez will do so with USA Games championship credibility as well. Both athletes won Unified Soccer gold medals alongside Mouhamed in Florida, and both return as talented strikers and goal scorers for this traditional unit.
Thierno doesn’t have the same outward exuberance that Mouhamed shows regularly, but Coach Stewart said that his teammates are well aware of the significant presence he brings to the field in big games.
“Mouhamed is kind of outgoing and he has leadership in a way that’s overtly motivating,” Coach Stewart said. “Thierno is one that just, even if we’re in a tough game or even if we’re down, he’s just working and working and working and that in and of itself sets an example. Thierno is a quiet leader for the team, he has worn the captain armband for most of our games.”
Thierno stands nearly as tall as Mouhamed but with a more solid and formidable frame. He’s got the strength to generate power in his shots and come up with big goals and scoring opportunities when the team really needs it. He believes the City Hawks can add a Traditional soccer trophy to go alongside their Unified trophy if they play up to their potential in Minnesota.
“I feel confident that we can go out there and win games,” Thierno said. “I feel very confident. I want to show the world that we’re a great team.”
Coach Stewart has seen a big shift in the players in the past few seasons. When the team made the amazing run to the Unified title in 2022, Stewart acknowledged that the City Hawks leaned heavily at times on several partner teammates to help carry the load. As talented as the athletes on that team were and are, there were times the athletes were a bit deferential to those partners.
Four years later, this team does not have the Unified partners to carry any load at all. It’s up to the athletes to make the trip nearly halfway across the country, practice and play well while living away from home for about 10 days. When the Traditional soccer games begin, the world will want to know if the City Hawks can successfully repeat, all the while transitioning from the Unified division to the Traditional division.
“We have a great mix of veteran players and newer players,” Coach Stewart said. “I’m super excited that the newer players will have a chance like this to go play USA Games on a national level. But we do have those players that were with us at some of our other big tournaments over the years, and they provide a lot of leadership. I think if there’s a real advantage to this team, it’s that we do have that leadership and experience. I think that their confidence of playing with unified partners has carried over, and now that’s the culture of our team and our City Hawks program. Our culture is that there’s really not a difference between and athlete and a partner, we’re soccer players.”
One of those newer players is Elijah Collins, a midfielder who will be graduating this spring. Collins didn’t play on the 2022 Unified team, but he has enjoyed bonding with his teammates this season and senses that there’s something special about this club.
“My confidence is very high,” Collins said. “I’m going to be honest, I’m not the most skillful soccer player, but I’m just playing with passion and heart. I think that can go a long way, you know effort is the most important thing.”
Collins finished tying the shoelaces on his orange cleats and headed out a side door. He ducked under some scaffolding and headed outside of the 721M building to join his teammates who were starting to practice on the turf field across the street. Just as there is on-going construction to the old Manhattan school building, the soccer team itself is a work in progress. Very soon they will be put to the test at the USA Games.
Vicente, Stewart and assistant coach Eric Markiewicz all recognize that these City Hawks have an intriguing blend of youth and experience, athleticism and heart. They’ve reached the top of the nation’s Special Olympics mountain once before, and winning again will be a real challenge. With Thierno and Mario providing experienced scoring punch, and with a determined Mouhamed as the last line of defense, maybe the City Hawks will once again fly higher than their opponents.
“Why not make it two in a row?” Mouhamed asks. “It would be really nice if we could come out and get another gold medal for the New York City team. I’m just so glad the Special Olympics really gave me a chance to prove myself. It gave me a chance to grow. Without Special Olympics, I don’t know what I would be doing with my soccer career. The Special Olympics gave me a chance to play the sport I love. So to the Special Olympics I want to say thank you for all the things you’ve done.”
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