He shows great confidence in his abilities, is courageous when meeting the ball and is usually right when making a decision. Agile and with a great jump, he also stands out for his performance under the goalposts. These and other adjectives must be used to describe this Nicoyano who has earned a spot in the under-20 national soccer team and is now preparing to play his first World Cup in this category, to be held in Colombia from July 29th to August 20th.
In soccer he's been through five stages: from ages 6 to 13 he attended two different soccer schools, between ages 13 and 15 he was part of the U-15 team of the Asociación Deportiva Guanacasteca (ADG), from 15 to 17 he played with the Youth soccer team and, once he turned 17, he played for the high performance team of the ADG. At 19, he made his debut with the Brujas de Escazu high performance team and now he is part of the Orión team (from Desamparados) and, for the past three years, has been a member of the under-20 national soccer team.
"Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed playing goalkeeper and the support I got from my mom, who bought me a pair of gloves, motivated me. Being part of the ADG minor leagues and of the Liceo de Nicoya's team opened the doors to where I am today. "During a final match we played in Golfito, coach Carlos Watson came up and interviewed me, a short time later I was called to tryout for the under-18 team", he narrated to the VON.
With great sincerity Kevin, an admirer of Brazilian goalkeeper Julio César, explains, "This experience is not for everyone. In order to be part of a national team, you must always strive and struggle to achieve your goals. Many are left half way down the road, deciding not to go on".
He remembers how on a trip to Guatemala, where Costa Rica got its ticket to the World Cup, the large number of messages he received through various social networks inspired him to mature, both as a person and professionally.
Kevin adds, "The result of working humbly and with great effort is watching your dreams come true. But, in addition, you must always dream and work hard, taking advantage of every opportunity that comes your way; those who never do will not succeed".
When asked about Ronald González as a coach, he answers "he is one of the best coaches I've ever known. He knows our position well, having lived through this experience himself. Although he prefers to focus mostly on work-related issues, he does offer advice from time to time".
For now Kevin will keep missing his family as he concentrates on preparing for the World Cup. |
