Immokalee soccer trio headed to Otero College on scholarships

IMMOKALEE, Fla. (WINK) — Three young soccer players from Immokalee are taking the next step in their careers together, headed to the same college program in Colorado.

Holly Souverain, Leonardo Concepcion and Sender Desir have grown up together in Immokalee, a small community where opportunities can feel limited. Now, they're headed to Otero College in Colorado to play at the next level together.

"I didn't plan to go to college because I was gonna go to the military," Souverain said.

The trio is carrying not just their own goals, but the pride of an entire community with them.

"We always have to put 100% and show them why they should respect Immokalee and believe that we have the talent to compete at any level," Concepcion said.

Desir spoke about what Immokalee means to him.

"It's a good community, but a lot of people don't recognize it, but it's really a good community, and there are other people's families there," Desir said. "You know, we love each other, and they take care of us."

Beto Garcia, head coach at Otero College, said the program specifically seeks out players like these three.

"We actually look for players that come out of small areas, you know, have a rough upbringing, because, you know, they have something to fight for," Garcia said. "You know, they have something to represent."

Jude Charles, a proud Immokalee soccer alumnus, said seeing these three players take the next step together shows him how far the Immokalee soccer community has come and how much belief there is in the next generation.

"We're putting the name out there," Charles said. "Immokalee is such a small town, nobody knows where we're from. But, you know, with this, we hope that a lot more comes out of it, and a lot more people will see what we do in Immokalee."

That's the same mission Manny Touron has been building toward for decades through the Immokalee Soccer Pit Cobras.

"Many of our kids think that because the parents don't have any money, they can't go to college," Touron said. "It's not so. Even if they weren't athletes, there are plenty of scholarships everywhere. So I think that these three boys will open the door for our soccer program."