Rest In Peace, Promise Isaac (1987-2019)

I just learned that my favorite Austin Bold FC player, Nigerian international Promise Isaac, died suddenly a couple of weeks ago. He was the most exciting player on the field in every match I saw him play in. He was a tremendously creative and intelligent player, humble, never trash-talked or argued with the ref. He made Austin Bold matches interesting and fun to watch.

Here are a few choice shots I took of Promise Isaac during this inaugural Austin Bold season...

(All photos by Kokoy Severino)

Kokoy Severino has coached junior high school soccer in the public school system of the Greater Houston area for 21 years. He holds a National Youth Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, two coaching certifications from the United States Soccer Federation, and a Master in Educational Leadership degree from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. His research focuses on the relationship between interscholastic competitive soccer and the academic success of at-risk students. He returns regularly to his native country of the Philippines and conducts soccer training sessions for economically disadvantaged youths. He has most recently been the Head Coach at Hyde Park School in Austin, Texas where he established the first middle school soccer program the school's history in 2015.

Kokoy is a lifelong traveler and documents soccer matches through photographs in his native country of the Philippines, his adopted home state of Texas, Singapore, and Vietnam, and more parts of the world to come.

Check out The Adventures of Kokoy - A Travel Guide.

Check out Coach Kokoy's blog about implementing the beautiful game as an academic and social-emotional intervention at an inner-city junior high school for new immigrants to the United States - Coach Kokoy's Las Americas Soccer Blog.