Latinos prove they can play rugby league as well as soccer

GET ready for some Latino rugby league action across Sydney this Friday and Saturday.

Latin Heat winger Alvaro Alarcon of El Salvador. Photo by Ben Appleton - www.facebook.com/photoxben

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SPORT is a distraction, where the challenge of the moment and the feats on the field ensure – at least for the duration of the game – everything else pales into insignifance.

That’s the reality for many of the players in the Latin Heat Elite rugby league team, which takes on a combined North America (CanAm Grizzlies) outfit at St Marys Stadium on Friday night.

For some of the Central and South American players, violence was part of their lives.

“To see a dead body on the streets...it wasn’t a big deal,” said Paul Alarcon, whose family fled El Salvador when he was 15.

Latin Heat fullback and captain James Horvat. Photo by Ben Appleton - www.facebook.com/photoxben

“As soon as you turned 14 or 15 you were expected to fight for one side or the other,” he said of the prolonged civil unrest in the Central American nation.

“It was insane. You saw things that you’d never ever expect to see.”

In Australia, Alarcon has found security and stability and, most importantly, his family is safe and free to live their lives as they please.

He can’t help but reflect on his former country as he prepares to support his two sons and two nephews play in a rugby league fest in the leadup to the NRL grand final.

Nephews Alvaro and Miguel will represent the Latin Elite side against a combined Canadian and American team on Friday while sons Junior and Javier will play in a Latin Heat Development side against Africa United at Hillier Oval, Liverpool, at 3pm on Saturday.

Alvaro Sr said while he grew up with soccer he became a convert to rugby league and introduced his sons to the game.

I liked the big hits and I became a fan,” he said. He also liked the fact there was a Latin American team where players could represent their culture.

Bradley Millar, of Chile. Photo by Ben Appleton - www.facebook.com/photoxben

Game 1

LATIN HEAT ELITE v NORTH AMERICA (CanAm Grizzlies)

Friday, September 30, 6.30pm

St Mary’s Stadium, Forrester Rd, St Mary’s.

SQUAD (Alphabetical): Daniel AGUIRRE ACEVEDO, Alvaro ALARCON, Miguel ALARCON, Matthew BOOTH, Nicholas CAMA, Juan Carlos CARRION, Steven CLARKE, Sebastian DELAPAZ, Nicholas DOBERER, Jonathan ESPINOZA, Jacob GUILIANO, Jesse GRAHAM, James HORVAT ©, Jaden LAING, Bradley MILLAR, Trent MILLAR, Joshua MUNOZ, Daniel NAVARRO, Jacob PARKER, Andres ROSSINI, Eduardo WEGENER (vc). Coach: Aaron RAPER.

Game 2

LATIN HEAT DEVELOPMENT v AFRICA UNITED

Saturday, October 1, 3pm

Liverpool All Saints, Hillier Oval, Memorial Ave, Liverpool.

SQUAD (Alphabetical): Javier ALARCON, Junior ALARCON, Chris BRANTES, Javier BRITOS, Mana CASTILLO, Juan David ESPINAL CANO ©, Pablo FLORENTIN, Luis FHON, William GOMEZ, Jeff LOPEZ, JC MENDEZ, Gabriel PAPA, Roque PEREZ MEJIA, Daniel RICKARD, Edgar SANTAMARIA, Daniel SARMIENTO, Diego VEJERANO, Jayden YASAR + 2 to be added at training this week.