Local soccer player goes professional

Born into a family of soccer players, Ezequiel Alvarez Jr. is steadily approaching the threshold of a professional career in the sport.
    The 15-year-old Dodge City boy's father, Ezequiel Sr., coaches the adult soccer league team Rio Grande. His brother, Adrian, started playing in Dodge City's Multicultural Soccer League for children when he was 6 and is still playing today.
    Alvarez started playing in the same league when he was 6. As the years went by, the league standout showed his skill on the Dodge City Middle and High School soccer teams, and at 13 years old he was already playing for the U.S. Soccer National Development Program.
    At 14, he advanced to the USA under-15 national team at the center-middle position and was named team captain.
    Then in January 2008, Alvarez began playing with the Kansas City Wizards' 15-and-under team, keeping the same position. In February, the team competed in the Spain Youth Soccer Tournament in Barcelona.
    While in Barcelona, Alvarez was introduced to world soccer stars Ronaldinho from Brazil, the Argentinian star Leonil Messi and Mexico's Giovanni Do Santos, who then played for FC Barcelona in La Liga.
    Alvarez played with the Wizards' 15-and-under team until June.
    “A friend of mine, Jonathan Kempin, who was the Wizards' goalkeeper, recommended me,” he said.
    However, Alvarez wanted to play in a system that would allow him to turn professional as soon as possible. Under U.S. law, a player must be at least 18 to turn professional.
    Because of that, Alvarez and his parents traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to try out for a spot in the Mexican professional teams' minor leagues. He succeeded after passing several soccer and agility tests with the Los Tigres' soccer academy, where he has been playing for the last four months.
    “In Mexico, I can start playing professionally even if I am not 18 years old, and that is the main reason why I left the Wizards, although I am grateful they continue to try to get me back," Alvarez said. "They even promised that I could be the team captain."
    But the manager of another professional Mexican team, El Atlas, contacted Alvarez recently and invited him to an open trial for prospects. Alvarez joined 63 Mexican-American hopefuls from other states at the trial in Guadalajara, Mexico.
    Alvarez passed the trial and became eligible for placement on a Mexican minor-league roster, and he is now awaiting a second call from El Atlas. His plan is to leave Los Tigres academy to join El Atlas academy.
    “They will measure my progress while I keep playing for Los Tigres,” he said. This summer, his family has traveled between Dodge and San Antonio, shuttling to and from various opportunities to be seen by Mexican League scouts at Los Tigres functions.
    Alvarez and his parents will soon be moving to San Antonio in order to cut down on travel.
    “We have always motivated and supported our son with his dreams. He's an excellent son,” Alvarez's father, Ezequiel Sr., said. “Despite his age, he practices discipline and because of that, he knows where he wants to go."
    The Alvarezes own a paletería, where they sell ice cream, in Dodge City, and they plan to open a similar business in San Antonio while they support their son. Two of Alvarez's brothers will take care of the business in Dodge City when their parents move to Texas.
    Alvarez said he will continue his academic career as a high school sophomore in San Antonio.
    “I don't want to only be a professional player," he said. "I also want to continue attending school, but I haven't made a definite decision regarding what kind of career I am going to choose.
    "The only thing I know is that I want to be a professional player and an educated person at the same time. It's a good thing in life.”