|
|
Luis Labastida didn’t take long to get adjusted to Cincinnati. And it definitely shows, as Mexican-born Luis Labastida gave me (a Tristate native, no less!) directions to meet him for a lunchtime interview.
“You put me in a place. You just have to give me a week, and I’m adjusted,” Labastida explains.
That certainly seems to be the case. It’s hard to imagine that Labastida only moved to Cincinnati this spring. He’s a recent addition to the Cincinnati Riverhawks where he plays the midfield position for the Tristate’s professional soccer team.
In the grand scheme of the soccer world, the Riverhawks play in the A-League, which is the division right below Major League Soccer (MLS). While both leagues are professional, there are differences that set the two apart.
Primarily, in MLS, there are 12 teams, all owned by the league. In the A-League, there are even more teams, but each one is individually owned.
Nick Ranieri has been the owner of the Riverhawks since its first professional season in 1998. Prior to that, the team was known as Team Cincinnati which played in the Premier Development Soccer League (PDSL). It was a way for Ranieri to teach and coach boys in the sport of soccer.
In 1997, the team won the fourth division in the PDSL, but was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. With the strong showing of Team Cincinnati and with Ranieri’s players aging, the owner decided to take his team to the next level by becoming an A-League team in 1998.
“The last three years have kind of been like maturing seasons,” Labastida says, explaining that Ranieri would give college-aged players a chance to be looked at on a professional level. “This year, Nick decided to bring in core, experienced players.”
Though this is his first season with the Riverhawks, Labastida is an old pro at the sport. He’s played the last three summers in the A-League. He also began playing soccer when he was 5 years old. “In Mexico, you’re kind of like born with it,” he says.
Labastida’s native country, like many other countries throughout the world, has a huge passion for the sport. “In Mexico, it’s the biggest thing. It truly is the biggest sport in the world. It truly moves masses,” he explains.
Though that doesn’t exactly apply to the United States, where people are more concerned about the World Series and the Super Bowl. “People don’t realize how much money is moved through soccer. It’s going to take a long time for it to take off (in America). … I think it’s a process. I think in the U.S., there’s more push toward football, baseball, etc.,” Labastida says.
Both Ranieri and Labastida believe that, by bringing a winning product to Cincinnati, they’re contributing to soccer’s popularity in the U.S. According to Labastida, one of Ranieri’s favorite sayings is, “The winner in the end is soccer.”
Labastida says Ranieri is a man who “lives the passion of soccer.” It’s one of the reasons Labastida agreed to come to Cincinnati. “Nick has created a team with a very brotherly atmosphere. … He’s done a lot for the team, put his heart and soul into it. He tried to bring the best players he could,” Labastida adds.
The midfielder seems particularly taken with the brotherly aspect of the team. He can identify, since he has two brothers: George is 11 years his senior, while Charlie is 7 years younger. He credits George, who also played soccer professionally, as being a father figure, coach and mentor, in addition to being a brother. Their close relationship helped Labastida share in the passion for soccer. “It had a lot to do with my brother, George. He was on my heels teaching me and pushing me,” he says.
Labastida now does the same thing for other kids, having coached since he was 16 years old. “I love coaching. It’s something that I think I will do as long as I am able to do it. I love working with kids. I don’t know if I want kids yet,” he laughs.
“You have to have a big heart and a lot of patience. That’s what makes you enjoy it,” he continues. “It’s important. It’s not just a job. It’s my way of giving back.”
One of the things he brings to his coaching is his knowledge of different cultures, acquired by playing soccer throughout the world. “It gives you a different feeling, different cultures to teach these kids. … I love being in new places. I love traveling, meeting new people. I’m very approachable, very trustworthy, I guess,” Labastida says.
“Everywhere you go, there’s rules and cultures you have to follow and respect. That’s one of the key points. You have to respect. I have to adjust to the different styles of coaching,” he says.
His ability to adapt is evident. It might come from playing soccer year round. He’ll play with the Riverhawks through September and then return to his hometown, Mexico City, to play soccer from October to March. Labastida doesn’t necessarily believe in downtime. “I’m a do, do person,” he says.
Labastida has his coaching. He plays with the Riverhawks, practicing for approximately two hours a day every day. He does what he can to promote not himself, but the world of soccer. He spends little time sleeping at night, always thinking of what else he can do. And he’ll carry on a similar routine when he returns to Mexico, much like he has the last few years.
Labastida never gets tired of it all, though a short break from it all is occasionally in order. “There’s short bits and pieces where I think ‘Oh, I just need a break.’ The word ‘burned out of the game’? Nah, never. I try to take a beach break at least once a year. I need one of those happy breaks now,” he laughs.
THE CINCINNATI RIVERHAWKS play an exhibition game against the U.S. National Deaf Team Thursday at 7 p.m. at Galbreath Field in Mason before continuing their season in away games against Minnesota and Milwaukee.
This article appears in May 23-29, 2001.
