Rodrigues comes with experience and urge to play for Guyana
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
November 27, 2006
NATIONAL central defender USA-born John Paul Rodrigues comes into the team with two Defensive Player-of-the-Year awards, one-year professional experience with Miami FC and the urge to play for the country.
Known as JP Rodrigues, he was Miami FC’s first round pick, in fact the first overall selection in this year’s United Soccer League (USL) Draft. He played with Nashville Metros in the semi-professional Players Development League (PDL) and Belmont University.
He started in 33 games for the Nashville Metros between 2004 and 2005 and was named 2004 Defensive Player-of-the-Year and 2005 Defensive Player-of-the-Year in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
JP’s father is Georgetown-born Richard Rodrigues. He was born on December 29, 1983, in the Tampa Bay area in Florida, and grew up there.
He started playing football when he was five for recreation and fun, and entered the competitive arena, called the selected game, at nine with Corrowood as a forward. From 12 years until 19, JP played for Blackwatch as a central mid-fielder.
When he went to Land O’ Lakes High School, he moved to his present central defence position and was captain of the team for three of his four years there, but made the starting line-up from his freshman year. The captain is usually a senior; he wore the band as a sophomore, junior and senior.
It was in his high school sojourn that coach Mark Pearson of Britain told him that he had the talent to pursue a professional football career.
“He moved me to the central defence. I owe a lot of my success to him.”
JP earned All-State Honours at Land O’ Lakes High School and at 18, went on a football scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he graduated with a degree in accounting.
He represented Belmont University in the NCAA division one league, the highest slot of football at that level and was the captain in his senior year. While at college, he also played for Nashville Metros.
Just before coming to Guyana, JP signed a two-year contract with Miami FC, which boasts players like World Cup stars Romario and Zinho of Brazil and Sean Fraser of Jamaica, and seven others with about seven years in the Major League Soccer (MLS).
He went with the club to Australia, last month, for a friendly against Adelaide United, was spotted and would be going for a one-month trial with the Australian club. He travels straight to Australia just after today’s game.
For about three years now, JP and his dad discussed his playing for Guyana, since his dad is Guyanese, but studies prevented them from making the move. Then a family friend saw him play with Miami FC and later met president of the Guyana Football Federation Colin Klass, telling him about JP.
Klass was impressed with his credentials and the GFF brought him down for the camp in Trinidad & Tobago. He was officially drafted into the team and was capped twice since.
“When playing for a national team is not for the money, but for the prestige of playing for a country. That’s a big step. A lot of great players represented their country.”
Though not accustomed to being on the bench, he acknowledged playing for a national team was a different level.
“I just have to wait my turn and support the players on the field. There are two good central defenders on the team. I’m glad to get two caps so far. Playing for a country is a big step for me.”
He is hopeful of starting in today’s encounter against the Dominican Republic, with Pollard nursing an injury.
Though this is the first time JP is touching Guyana soil, he grew up observing Guyanese tradition and enjoying Guyanese foods. And he has a Guyanese passport.
“The family is very Guyanese. Each Christmas, we gather at my grandmother’s, enjoying pepper pot, souse, black cake and other Guyanese food. But I love roti and curry best. I could eat it all the time. We never lost track of our Guyanese roots.”