Boys Soccer Team Makes Meaningful Connection with Viatorian Schools in Colombia

The boys’ soccer team returned July 1 from a training trip that went beyond simply playing internationally. Led by Coach Byron DeLeon, they traveled to Bogotá, Colombia, to meet and compete with students from Saint Viator’s sister school, Colegio San Viator.

“It was an incredible opportunity for our boys to connect with the broader Viatorian community, experience Colombian culture and history firsthand, and grow in faith alongside peers who share our values,” Coach De Leon says.

“I wanted to offer the boys something more than what they typically experience in their club environments,” he adds. “By integrating the educational and faith-based mission of Saint Viator with the universal language of fútbol, we hoped to create an opportunity for meaningful connection and personal growth.”

Viatorians opened Colegio San Viator in 1963, two years after establishing Saint Viator High School, and in 2017, they took over another school in Colombia, Colegio San Viator Tunja.

The three schools share the same features of a college preparatory education, rooted in faith formation and social justice. They also share some of the same traditions, starting with their logo, the red lion.

In all, Coach DeLeon and Assistant Coach Gilbert Dawod brought 15 players to Colombia, ranging from incoming freshmen to rising seniors. The blending of ages, they said, led to a good team dynamic that was incredibly positive throughout the experience. 

During their 10-day stay, they competed in the Bogotá International Soccer Cup, which included several competitive local clubs. Saint Viator’s boys also had the opportunity to play alongside and against students from both Colegio San Viator in Bogotá and Colegio San Viator in Tunja. 

“It was amazing to see the connections and friendships that formed through the games,” Coach DeLeon says.

When they weren’t playing soccer, they toured the school’s large campus, hiked Monserrate, which is set in the Andes Mountains and overlooks Bogotá, and explored the Salt Cathedral. They also attended Mass in the chapel of the Colegio San Viator, celebrated by Fr. Daniel Lydon, C.S.V., who is directing the Viatorian novitiate in Colombia. 

On one of their first days training with players from Colegio San Viator, the Saint Viator team enjoyed a barbecue, hosted by the Colombian team and some of their parents.

“The food was amazing,” says Connor Curtin ’29, “all the steak and potatoes. I even tried cow’s tongue for the first time. It’s pretty good. The school treated us great, but I didn’t expect the mountains. They’re huge and beautiful.” 

Thomas Mepham ’28 enjoyed all of it, from meeting players from another Viatorian school to soaking up the culture and the city.

“It’s more than I expected,” Thomas says. “They’ve given us a great field to play on and a great environment, but it’s been the people, the culture, it’s all been amazing.”

Taking international training trips has been a hallmark of Saint Viator’s soccer program since the early 2000s, when Head Coach Mike Taylor took teams to compete in Europe. The trips resulted in lasting memories and friendships and have helped engage the soccer alumni long after they’ve graduated.

Look for those relationships to be on full display Sunday at the third annual alumni soccer match, taking place at the school. Coach DeLeon will be on hand to meet with alumni at the event, where no sign-up is required and family and friends are welcome to attend. More than a reunion, players say that the chance to come back and play with teammates, well, is priceless.