Kenniel Martin’s soccer career goes back to when he was a child in Jamaica, and played on the Jamaican National Team before moving to the United States and playing for Weaver High School in Hartford, Connecticut. The midfielder continued his soccer career at the collegiate level as he earned a scholarship to play for the University of Hartford where he was selected as a team captain. After being a four-year starter for the Hawks, Martin spent time in the Major League Soccer (MLS) playing for the Chicago Fire before he packed his bags and played overseas in Romania, Finland, and finally, Turkey.
Despite turning his dream of playing soccer professionally into a reality, the balance of soccer and regular daily life did not come easily for him or his family. When he was living and playing soccer as a youth in Connecticut, his family struggled with the fact that his town that he lived in, Hartford, did not have a soccer program. As a result, Martin and his family not only had to overcome financial obstacles, but had to be creative in finding transportation methods in order for him to be able to attend soccer practices and games.“My family and I had to be creative in order to find a way to get to practices and games,” said Martin. “We relied on friends, and coaches to help bring us to where we needed to be.”
A way that he has ensured that athletes do not have to experience what he did as a child is by developing two programs: a youth soccer league for athletes ages three years-old to 14 years-old, and the Lioness League, a league just for women which happens to also be the first women's only league in the Hartford area. Developing and creating a league where residents of Hartford can compete and grow was a huge factor and driving force behind HLSA as Martin points out “Talent is universal, opportunity is not.”
Beyond just the playing field however, the HLSA values the importance of family, and strives to help families not only by providing them with a place to be active, but as a place to get involved through volunteering opportunities in the local community. As a way to get involved with volunteering opportunities, the HLSA has focused on building relationships with other organizations including partnerships with Around the Worlds, Hartford Athletic, Kingswood Oxford School, Trinity Solar, and West Indian Foundation. “The HLSA is bigger than soccer. We want kids and parents to be involved in the community whether by volunteering by helping those in need, but also being proud of the HLSA and understanding the sense of community” added Martin.
The HLSA also takes pride in helping and assisting families during life's obstacles by providing resources to those in need such as by leading seminars that deal with finance, prepping for college, and teaching life lessons like being a part of something that is bigger than themselves.
For more information about how you can become a part of the Hartford Lions Soccer Academy family, email us at [email protected]