MacDill Airmen: honorary captains at USMNT World Cup

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Ellis
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Two MacDill Airmen were awarded the role of honorary captains during the first game of the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team 2014 World Cup qualifier, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, June 8.

With more than 23,000 in attendance, Staff Sgt. Dieudonne Batawila and Senior Airman Eduardo Flores, both from the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron, presented their squadron coin at centerfield to be used in the coin toss.

Prior to the match, U.S. Nationals team members Michael Bradley and Terrence Boyd came to MacDill to personally invite Batawila and Flores as honorary captains, present them with custom-made U.S. Men's National Team jersey with their names on back and give them extra tickets so their family members and friends could attend.

Both Batawila and Flores play on their squadron's soccer team.

Batawila, who grew up in West Africa, always aspired to play soccer professionally one day, but pursued a military career after consulting with his mother.

"My mother would always tell me that soccer is a gamble and I needed to do something that would guarantee a bright future and focus on education," said Batawila.

Even while actively serving in the military, Batawila has advanced in soccer locally.

"I put together the squadron team and this is now our fourth season," said Batawila. "We even won the Coalition War Cup (a tournament sponsored by the coalition forces on MacDill) in 2010."

Batawilla has also played on MacDill's division three "MacDill United" team and played two seasons in the Florida Suncoast Soccer League division one "Tampa Bay International FC" team.

Batawila and Flores were supposed to practice with U.S. National team members the day prior to the game, but Mother Nature brought rain that cancelled the practice. Despite the setback, the U.S. Nationals managed a 3-1 victory over Antigua & Barbuda.