Bisoni's soccer dreams alive at CCC

His entire life has revolved around the soccer ball and, for Coffeyville Community College (CCC) sophomore, Israel Bisoni, each step in his life has led him closer to playing the game professionally.  From the streets of Brazil to the Red Raven soccer field and the semi-pro league in Missouri, Bisoni hopes to one day find his spot on a national team in either the U.S. or Brazil.

Bisoni grew up in the mountains of Brazil in a small town called Senador Amaral, two and a half hours from Sao Paulo, the largest city in South America.  Soccer, called futebol in Brazil, is a national sport there and kids start playing at an early age.  Bisoni was kicking around the ball with his friends in the streets of Brazil from a very young age.

“Everyone in Brazil talks about soccer,” said Bisoni.  “Here, you hear about baseball and football.  I miss watching soccer every week on television; it isn’t on here very often.”

When he was 14 (in high school), Bisoni moved from the mountains to the bigger city of Santa Rita Do Sapucai to finish his schooling.  He lived in the dormitories and traveled the two hours home each month to visit his family.

“Moving away from family in high school helped me a lot when I moved to the U.S.,” said Bisoni.  “If I had lived with my parents until coming here, I would have missed them more.  It gave me more confidence and more maturity to move to the U.S.” 

Bisoni landed in the U.S. in August of 2006.  He came to play soccer.  A forward/striker in Brazil, he plays midfield for the Red Ravens.  This fall he was named to the first all-region team.  He had been training at a center for soccer in Brazil when he met the dad of a former Red Raven soccer player.  The man asked him if he would like to play in the U.S. for the Red Ravens.  Bisoni took the chance. 

“My dream is to be a professional soccer player,” said Bisoni.  “In Brazil it is hard to play soccer and study at the same time.  It is too hard, soccer takes all day.  I had just graduated high school when I met Rodrigo’s dad.  I wanted to study and then I found out that I could do both (in the U.S.).” 

Bisoni has excelled on and off the field at Coffeyville.  He enjoys classes in business, but his experience coaching children has led him to consider a teaching career as well.  His academic excellence brought an invitation to join the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, a group in which Bisoni serves as the co-vice president of Fellowship.  Perhaps his biggest accomplishment to date is learning the English language.  The official language in Brazil is Portuguese.  Bisoni came to the U.S. after spending only four months studying English.  He has learned most of the language while in the U.S. and speaks it fluently after only one year.  

Bisoni stayed in the U.S. over the summer of 2007 after he was asked to play for the semi-professional soccer team, the Springfield Demize out of Missouri.  CCC Soccer Coach, Courey Feerer, encouraged Bisoni to try out for the Demize.  Bisoni played in Missouri all summer and has been invited to return in the summer of 2008.  The Demize paid for his housing and food through the summer.  Once the soccer season had ended, Bisoni stayed in Springfield until August to coach soccer to kids ages 7 to 14. 

Bisoni continues his work with youth as he serves as a referee for the kids’ soccer programs through the Coffeyville Recreation Commission.   

“I really love to work with kids,” he said.  “It is a lot of fun.” 

Bisoni’s adjustment to the U.S. was made a little simpler by the fact that Brazil is not all that different from Midwestern states.  Agriculture is the main industry in Brazil, particularly potatoes, strawberries and corn.  Bisoni’s father is a farmer as well as the co-owner of a grocery store with Bisoni’s uncle.  The technology in the U.S. is more advanced than in Brazil, but everything that the U.S. produces, Brazil will have within a few months, except it is more expensive according to Bisoni. 

“In Brazil, you don’t make as much money.  Here I may make $6 an hour. In Brazil, you are paid for the month, $300-$400 a month, nothing extra,” he said.  “We don’t clock in and out, you just do the job.” 

The U.S. dollar is worth almost two Reais (the money in Brazil).  When he isn’t in the classroom or on the soccer field, Israel works at the CCC cafeteria. 

Most Brazilians belong to the Catholic Church.  The weather is seasonal where Bisoni grew up, much like Coffeyville. 

“We do not have snow.  The wind is really cold and strong.  When it is hot, it is hot,” said Bisoni. 

Bisoni misses the food in Brazil. 

“We eat rice and beans with all kinds of meat and salads,” he said.  “Here the food is more sweet, like barbecue.” 

Bisoni will visit Brazil for the first time in over a year during the Christmas holiday.  He is very excited as he misses family and friends.  Bisoni has a younger brother who also likes to play soccer.  His mom takes care of his brother and the house. 

“Not as many women work in Brazil as here,” said Bisoni. 

Bisoni will return after the holiday to finish his last semester at Coffeyville. 

“I plan to go to a four-year school with a soccer program,” he said.  “I have more opportunities in the U.S. with school and soccer than I did in Brazil.  It is also easier to start on a U.S. pro team.” 

Bisoni is not particular about playing professional soccer in the U.S or Brazil as long as he is on the field.

Isreal (second from right) stands with his younger brother and his parents outside of the second largest Catholic Cathedral in the world located in Brazil.  The Cathedral is second in size only to the Vatican.