Two soccer players with roots to Membertou First Nation hope their play inspires young athletes to keep working hard.
Mykeo Parker-Christmas, 18, is on scholarship to play for the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tenn. and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, 16, plays right wing for Toronto FC in the MLS (Major League Soccer). Both young men say it takes commitment to make it the level of play they have achieved.
Parker-Christmas's father Bernd Christmas and Marshall-Rutty's mother Gwen Marshall are both from Membertou.
“You can have the talent, but if you don’t work hard nothing will happen,” said Marshall-Rutty.
He says he has been successful because of his focus on his craft, avoiding parties like other teenagers, and guidance from veterans on the team like Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley.
Marshall-Rutty, who identifies as Jamaican, German and Mi’kmaq, started playing soccer at the age of eight after his father, Mark Rutty, introduced him to the sport.
“Every day we would go to the park or even in our back yard and kick around the ball,” said Marshall-Rutty.
His fondest memory was kicking the ball so hard that he broke his neighbour's fence. Instead of getting scolded his neighbour told him it was OK as long as he became a soccer player.
On Oct. 24, Marshall-Rutty, who is from Brampton, Ont., made his professional debut against the Philadelphia Union.
“For me to fulfil my dreams, it means everything."
The Toronto FC team is not playing in Ontario this season but in Hartford, Conn. because of the COVID-19 pandemic so Marshall-Rutty hasn’t seen his family regularly. He knows his team is resilient and says the time away from family is an immense sacrifice.
Parker-Christmas has had to adjust as well. Originally from Halifax, he made the 3,000-km trip to play soccer in Memphis, Tenn., but then the NCAA soccer season was moved to the spring because of the pandemic and he is still adjusting to life in the southern U.S.
“If it wasn’t for my team it would be a lot harder,” said Parker-Christmas.
He’s found a second family with his teammates and says soccer at the NCAA level has been an adjustment. Play is more physical. He was used to being the strongest player on his team and often in his leagues, but now everyone is just a “bull," he said.
Parker-Christmas said before the pandemic he and his family travelled to Membertou at least once every two months and he was always happy to see family. He knows soccer can be an appealing sport because all you need is a ball and a street. He hopes any aspiring athlete is willing to put in the work.
“It's always an option if you fight hard enough to get there and you work hard enough,” said Parker-Christmas. “I just want to represent that and show the younger generation it's possible.”
Marshall-Rutty says he’ll continue to work on his craft and keep improving. He hopes to be a starter someday but before that he’s looking forward to his first professional goal.
Parker-Christmas says he’s been working toward this moment since he was a child playing with his older brother.
“I'm very happy and proud that I’m able to do this,” said Parker-Christmas.
