Soccer has always been freshman midfielder Caio Cavaletti’s calling, but getting to Marist men’s soccer has been quite a wild ride.
Born and raised in Fortaleza, Brazil, Cavaletti found it difficult to leave his family and friends behind and play soccer for the Red Foxes. Before this season, He had only been to the United States once while in high school for a soccer tournament in Utah.
A first challenge quickly arose for Cavaletti: learning English. Cavaletti improved his understanding of the language drastically, but it was still going to be a challenge that he’d have to build on.
“Sometimes it’s hard to express myself to talk, but I think I am improving,” said Cavaletti.
One former Red Fox influenced his choice: Henrique Cruz. The native Brazilian and former first-team All-MAAC player introduced the campus to Cavaletti, and shortly after, Cavaletti found his new home.
Both Cruz and Cavaletti are from the same city in Brazil, a soccer pipeline also home to Fortaleza Esporte Clube, a high-profile Série A club in the Brazilian professional soccer league. There have been dozens of professional players to come from Fortaleza, which has a population of almost 2.5 million.
As a kid, Cavaletti always idolized star Neymar. Born and raised in Brazil, since the day he was born, the fellow Brazilian was everywhere. Being a similar build to Neymar, Cavaletti tries to model some parts of his game after him and looked up to him in Cavaletti’s adolescence.
With a few months now under his belt, Cavaletti is adapting to the new lifestyle, but one thing that hasn’t changed is his love for his family thousands of miles away.
“Sometimes it’s hard,” said Cavaletti. “Sometimes you really miss your family and home, but I think with all the friends, the players, and the coaches, it’s a little bit easier.”
Cavaletti credits his coaches and teammates for making this transition as easy as possible for him, making him feel like he’s at home.
With a two-hour time difference, Cavaletti still finds time to talk to his family every day. When he feels homesick, he tries to shift his focus to soccer and schoolwork.
“I try to focus on school and the goals of soccer—your basic objectives,” said Cavaletti. “You don’t even notice that time is going; you have something to do to pass the time that’s really enjoyable.”
At home, Cavaletti lives on the beach, where he found his love for surfing and nature. While it’s tough to surf anywhere near Marist, Cavaletti’s love for the outdoors has helped him adapt to the campus.
“I like to be close to nature. It’s one of the things that I’m used to in Brazil, so this campus really helps me,” said Cavaletti.
After his soccer career, Cavaletti already has his plans set. From a family of businessmen, Cavaletti looks to follow in their footsteps. Having business programs local to one of the biggest cities in the world, Marist seemed like a natural fit for his after-college life.
“All my family works in business, so I think maybe I can work with them. I think that’s my goal,” said Cavaletti.
For now, all the focus is on soccer. The true freshman has burst onto the scene this season in a big way; Cavaletti started the season as a substitute, but by the sixth game, he was in the starting lineup and was there to stay.
“I was trying to adapt the first month; I had some challenges at the beginning to start really playing like I can play, but I think now I can. I’m showing what I can do, really trying to help the team,” said Cavaletti.
Cavaletti has registered two goals and 27 shots, eight of those shots on goal. He has tallied over 1000 minutes this season and has been a key factor during Marist’s playoff run, breaking waves. He ranks top five in shots, goals and assists for Marist, as they have found a new weapon on offense for the future.
Cavaletti has made the courageous decision to come play here at Marist, and so far, it’s been a success. The more he gets comfortable, the more he should shine as he looks to help Marist continue their winning ways.
Edited by Dan Aulbach and Marley Pope
Graphic Credit: Quinn DiFiore
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