USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Shared Language Links Rovira, Velarde Across 3 Seasons with Hounds

Published on October 6, 2021 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


Dani Rovira and Anthony Velarde are both in their third season with the Riverhounds, and both have seen their roles grow from bit-part players as rookies to steady roles in the team's game day 18.

But perhaps the biggest link between the two - one that has helped them grow as teammates and friends in Pittsburgh - is their shared native language, Spanish.

The Riverhounds are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Night at 6 p.m. this Sunday during their game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, part of the USL Championship's larger Hispanic Heritage Month. The team even has a special ticket offer with $5 from every purchase (must use the promotional link) going toward the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Professional Education Scholarship Fund.

Rovira, a native of Colombia, and Velarde, a California native with Mexican roots raised in a Spanish-speaking home, took part in the league's celebration of Hispanic heritage by sitting down for a Spanish-language interview with the USL's Maury Urcadez (subtitled in English). You can watch and listen to the two parts of the interview, as they talk about their heritage and their shared time in Pittsburgh.

Those two aren't the only Riverhounds players with Hispanic backgrounds. Though both were American-born, Hounds midfielder Danny Griffin has Peruvian ties through his mother's side of the family, and defender Preston Kilwien's mother hails from Costa Rica.

With different cultures that are tied together by language - and in most cases, a deep love of soccer - this weekend's celebration at Highmark Stadium is a chance for all segments of the Hispanic community to come together and enjoy what should be a great match between playoff-bound rivals.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 6, 2021


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