Kickin’ It: Major League Soccer All-Star Cobi Jones Shares His Victories
by Angela Scott

Ask any child what sport he or she enjoys watching, and chances are soccer falls short on the “top list.” While becoming a professional soccer player may not be the dream sport that an American child aspires to one-day join, it is the national pastime in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Known as the other “football” in most parts of the world, soccer remains the number-one spectator sport in the world.

While Adu is trapping a wave of fans with his aggressive energy on the field, eight-time Major League Soccer All-Star Cobi Jones has been maintaining a strong “black presence” in the professional sport for the past 14 years. Known for his signature long brown dreadlocks, midfielder Jones has earned accolades such as being the youngest male player in the world to reach 100 international appearances (at age 27), and is one of only two players on the 1998 World Cup squad, who also played consecutive games in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

While Adu is trapping a wave of fans with his aggressive energy on the field, eight-time Major League Soccer All-Star Cobi Jones has been maintaining a strong “black presence” in the professional sport for the past 14 years. Known for his signature long brown dreadlocks, midfielder Jones has earned accolades such as being the youngest male player in the world to reach 100 international appearances (at age 27), and is one of only two players on the 1998 World Cup squad, who also played consecutive games in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

In other words, Cobi Jones is an international soccer giant

Getting in the Game
Though kicking soccer balls has been Jones’ passion since his early childhood growing up in Westlake Village, a suburb outside of Los Angeles, Calif., the 34-year-old credits Brazilian soccer great Pelé as being Jones’ biggest inspiration.

“I was like 9 or 10 when I first met him. He was filming a movie, and I had a chance to meet him,” recalls Jones. “It was a great opportunity for me, especially being a young kid. It gives you that extra boost to want to keep going.” Jones says that because he, too, has been kicking down obstacles along the way, he truly appreciates the open doors that Pelé created for other kids of color. “Now, I’m at a level where I can understand everything that he did. I have a greater respect for him, and the things that he accomplished. It’s incredible what he did for the sport in general.”

Thanks to the popularity of Pelé, soccer was gaining momentum in America, while Jones was growing up. He says his cousin, as well as kids in the neighborhood were all members of AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) leagues, and Jones joined when he was 6. As the story goes, once Jones hit the field, he was off and running. His parents, Dr. Freeman and Mada Jones, encouraged Jones to follow his heart.

“We let Cobi choose the sport that he wanted to play. Of course his older brothers played football, but Cobi had his heart set on soccer,” says Mada. She says that even when she noticed that Jones was talented, she never pushed him into seriously pursuing professional soccer. “It’s his life, and we just wanted Cobi to be happy in whatever career that he chose.”

Jones says his parents were definitely encouraging, driving him to weekend tournaments and remaining on the sidelines despite often, rainy weather. He says that while his parents gave the then-aspiring athlete enough room to be independent, parental supportive was always close at hand.

“In high school, there were other coaches that said I was ‘horrible,’ and that I wasn’t a good soccer player. And that I wouldn’t amount to much,” Jones explains. He said such negative words only fueled him to prove his talent on the field. Jones became a standout player, earning three varsity letters, including one in track at Westlake High. The devout Christian says that maintaining a positive attitude is the best way to defeat naysayers.

Along with the encouragement of family and friends, Jones met further discouragement and doubt from his college soccer coaches, while attending the University of California, Los Angeles. Once again, the stellar athlete still found himself having to “prove” his skills in order to get in the game.

“When I first got there at UCLA, I was supposed to red shirt, but things didn’t work out and they were playing bad. I got my chance to start and then I started every game for my entire four years,” Jones says proudly. However, when Jones graduated from college in 1991, America had yet to establish a professional soccer league. He knew that becoming a pro soccer player would not happen on American soil.



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