[FOUR THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT …] Guyllain Kabala, the holding midfielder on the U.S. under-17 national team that won thechampionship at the Nike Friendlies in December, has enjoyed a meteoric rise from the inner-city programs of Manchester, N.H., to the U.S. U-17 national team. For four things to know about Kabala…
INNER-CITY PRODUCT. Kabala, whose parents Clement Kabala and MathildaKekumba hail from the Democratic Republic of Congo, was first recognized while playing soccer in inner-city programs for children of immigrant families in Manchester, N.H. He played futsal in aschool gym along with kids from such countries as Mexico, Ukraine and South Korea in “BRINGIT” He was also involved in “INTI,” another Manchester program for disadvantaged kids.
FRIENDS IN RIGHT PLACES. Kabala, who is fluent in French, made his first appearance at a national team camp in2009 when he attended the U-14 ID camp in nearby Concord, Mass. He attended U-15 national team camps in March and July 2011 in Carson, Calif., which led to an invitation to move to the U-17 residencyprogram in Bradenton, Fla. A former Seacoast United coach, Tony Lepore, is U.S. Soccer’s director of scouting and had been following the 5-foot-8 Kabala forseveral years. The move to Florida came shortly after he had been picked to play on the New England Revolution’s U-15/16 academy team.
WORLD TRAVELER.The 2011 season saw the 15-year-old Kabala travel to Newcastle, England, with Seacoast United for the 40th edition of “Four Nations Clubs for Young People” tournament at which suchfuture England stars as Peter Beardsley, Alan Shearer and Michael Carrickparticipated. Kabala and his Seacoast teammates were outfitted with U.S. jerseys for the event. Only months later, Kabala was back to Europe, wearing the real U.S. jersey at Spanish and Frenchtournaments the U-17s played in.