With less than a week to go until the start of this year’s JCC Maccabi Games, our final week of previews looks at the third football team competing in Canada – and it’s a squad who believe they can return home as champions.
One of two U15 boys’ teams who will be flying out to North America, this group is jointly managed by both Yonni Levy and Nathan Bloohn. Levy says: “Our aim is to leave Toronto this year with a gold medal round our necks and we know that we have a squad that is more than capable enough to achieve this.
“We’re extremely happy with the players we have chosen. It was tough to pick the team with a number of really good players in the trials, but these were the stand-outs to us.
“We also wanted to have two equally good U15 teams, which we believe we have ended up with.”
Four of those 11 selected played for the managerial duo at last summer’s JCC Games in Pittsburgh, and it’s hoped their experience will be of great value to the others.
The squad have been training together once a month since January.
Levy says: “We now plan to push on with more training sessions and friendly games.
“Since the start of last month up until when we fly out, we’ve been aiming to train at least once a week and have also been able to schedule in a few friendly fixtures as well.”
Describing the players’ mood ahead of the big kick-off, Levy says: “They’re really excited to be taking part in these Games and being able to represent their country. Not many people get the opportunity to represent their country in an international Games and the boys know how special this experience is.
“The Games mean more than just playing football. You get to meet Jews from all around the world, make many new friends and create memories for life, which I hope the boys will all gain from this experience.”
Levy adds: “It means a great deal for both Nathan and I to be managing them. We’ve both been involved with Maccabi for many years and it’s an honour for us to be selected to manage again.
“We know we’ve got a special group of players and we can’t wait to see what we achieve with them.”
While confident they can fly back home with the winners’ medals draped around their necks, Levy adds: “We know the Games means much more than just playing sports.
“We really want the boys to immerse themselves in the experience and take as much from it as they can. Whether that’s making new friends, learning more about Judaism or anything else. Ultimately, we want to ensure that the boys have one of the best experiences of their lives and we will do everything we can to make this happen.”
Squad: Aron Pater, Raphy Millar, Levi Abramson, Harry Myeroff, Dylan Golding, Louis Seal, Jamie Phillips, Henry Seymour, Rafi Baliti, Oscar Defriend and Jojo Abramson.
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