KINGSHILL — The U.S. Virgin Islands’ dream that Zahmyre “Zay” Harris has held for 20 years has finally come true.
The Stockbridge, Georgia resident, who prepped at Woodland High School, is now playing professionally for the USVI’s national team and calling the island of Saint Croix home.
“I started playing at three years old, my mom was my first soccer coach,” said Harris, 23, who also played collegiately at Georgia Southwestern in Americus and Georgia Southern in Statesboro. “It’s a great feeling and sometimes it doesn’t feel real.
“This is a dream I’ve been chasing. When people play a sport, this is what they want to do, this is the level they want to reach. There’s such a small percentage of people who are actually able to play professionally, especially in a sport like soccer, where you compete on a global level, so I’m really grateful.”
In addition to having the opportunity to represent the Virgin Islands in World Cup and Olympic competition, Harris will be competing with the team this year in the 40-team CONCACAF, the confederation of North American, Central American and Caribbean teams that is one of six FIFA continental leagues.
Harris, the son of Sharon and Anthony Harris, said he’s eligible to play for the Virgin Islands as his father and paternal grandparents hail from there (and his grandparents still live there). He first played for the team as a teenager but couldn’t be permanently attached to the program until he graduated last year from Georgia Southern with a degree in communications.
The left-footed wingback recently attended a team camp at Florida International University in Miami and said he’ll return to Saint Croix in May for a series of CONCACAF Nations League matches.
Winning a spot on the team was not only satisfying for Harris but it also provided him with the desire to spread the joy of his sport wherever he goes.
“(Making the team is) also very motivating,” he said. “It’s a great way to influence others and show them about this beautiful sport, because it’s not as big in America as other sports. It makes me even more grateful to be a professional in this great sport.”
Harris, who also played for Concorde Fire and Georgia United during his teen years, pointed out that he’s enthusiastic about helping to grow the sport in the Virgin Islands, the stomping ground of a host of NBA icons, including Patrick Ewing and Tim Duncan.
“A lot of people know about soccer but with it being a U.S. territory, there’s still a bridge we’re trying to cross to bring everyone together and to bring awareness to the sport,” he said. “Cricket is very popular in the Caribbean and we have professional players in the NBA and from other sports that are from the Virgin Islands.
“Our fan base is growing — more people are aware of the team and are starting to support the team. It’s a great feeling to be part of building this team. We’re actually very young. We have three players in their 30s and everybody else is 25 or younger on our roster. We’re in the rebuilding stage. This is the next generation and we’re going to be the best team the country has ever seen.”
Harris, who earned all-county and all-state honors and was a member of the National Beta Club and National Society of High School Scholars while at Woodland, is also presently in negotiations to play on a club team stateside and plans for an extended run in his chosen sport.
“I do see a long future in soccer,” he said. “I feel this is the best I’ve been playing in my life but, honestly, I don’t feel I’m at my best just yet.”