Marquez, 33, used to play soccer semi-professionally in a Washington urban league starting at age 14, but fell into homelessness. Now a carpenter, Marquez has been off the streets for a little more than a year, and he largely credits Street Soccer D.C. and its annual 2011 Street Soccer USA National Cup. Nearly 200 youth and adults representing shelters across the country gathered at D.C.’s Washington Kastles Stadium last week for the tournament. Marquez was team captain of the D.C. Knights – one of 22 teams that took part. To be able to participate, players have to either be homeless or have been in the past two years. How has soccer helped you recover?
This is my first experience with the Cup and I love it. For me, it helped me stay off the street. I never had a chance to meet people who would dedicate time like that to the homeless like me. They were like angels.
Why did you stop playing soccer at 17?
I had bad friends, got into drugs, alcohol, clubbing, everything.
Do you still talk to those old friends?
I try to help other people now. First I helped myself, and now I help others. I try to give advice to whoever’s drinking, whoever I used to hang out with.
You help them, then?
I was able to get maybe 10 people jobs. The whole time while I was working hard, I would say to my boss, ‘I need you to get a job for this person.’
Describe how it feels to play the game.
When I go on the field, I feel great. If you’re playing, you’re having fun. I’ve never seen something like that. It’s beautiful; I don’t have a word to explain it.
Will you play again?
I can play one more year.
– Natalie Plumb
