Racing down the field, surrounded by kids from around the world, Senior Alex Abel felt a tremendous amount of pride. He felt proud to be part of something larger than himself – representing both his country and his faith in the Maccabi Games.
The European Maccabi Youth Games (EMYG) gather the best Jewish athletes from around the world and place them on national teams to compete against one another. Over the summer, Abel played for the U18 United States Soccer team in the 2024 EMYG in London. Over the course of the week-long event, taking place July 28-Aug. 6, Abel came to feel a stronger connection to his religion through the many lessons he learned.
“I first learned about the event through my dad who attended the opening ceremony of the 1985 Maccabi Games held in Israel,” Abel said. “So when one of the coaches reached out to me, I was really excited to pursue the opportunity.”
Hearing about the long standing tradition of The Games, which were first held in 1932, from his father was what sparked Abel’s interest in competing. So when Abel arrived in London, he felt a stronger bond both with his father and his community. This emotion greatly contributed to Abel’s success on the field.
“We were able to go 2-2. We beat France and The Netherlands and lost to Argentina who won the tournament, and to Great Britain on a last minute penalty,” Abel said. “We finished a strong third overall.”
Abel’s most memorable moment came in the game against Great Britain, in which he was chosen to represent the U.S. as team captain.
“I got to be the captain against Great Britain, which I will definitely remember forever,” Abel said. “Shaking hands and doing the coin toss was really cool, and just being able to be a leader on the team was awesome. Plus, I was really happy to represent my country and wore that with a lot of pride. ”
Playing soccer was not the only aspect of The Games. Teams also engaged in a variety of off the field activities, allowing players to make friends from across the globe. These interactions were really special for Abel and he still keeps up with some of the people he met.
“Being with a bunch of Jewish people, I hadn’t really been in a situation like that, especially living in Dallas and going to St Marks, so I hadn’t really had that kind of connection before, and it was nice,” Abel said.
Feeling a reinvigorated love for the Jewish faith is an often occurrence for players at The Games. Coach Barry Waranch has coached soccer in the DFW area for more than 25 years and served as one of Abel’s coaches at the Maccabi Games. Waranch has had the opportunity to witness the tremendous impact that The Games often have on his players.
“I think anytime you have any sort of international competition, it gives everybody an opportunity to see other human beings as people and not as adversaries,’ Waranch said. “So, I think it’s a great way to fix issues between people because eventually everybody sees that we’re all the same.”
Heart filled with this pride, Abel played a critical role in Team USA’s success.
“He’s a very smart player,” Waranch said. “He’s got what we call soccer IQ. He understands the game, the pressure points, how to move the ball, and where to go.”
In addition to Abel’s intelligence, Waranch praised his composure and tendency to leave everything on the field. Beyond the game of soccer, Waranch appreciates Abel’s character and personality.
“He’s a great kid, and he’s just one of those types of humans that you want around,” Waranch said. “And he’ll do really well in life because of it.”
In the future, Abel hopes to potentially participate in the event again in the open age group. But for now, Abel continues to cherish his experience and all the relationships he made.
