By Rubin E. Grant
Homewood High School math teacher Ryan Hepp returned home last weekend after the experience of a lifetime.
Hepp traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Christmas Day to represent the United States National Maccabi team in the Pan American Maccabi Games. He was one of 20 soccer players selected from the U.S.
“It’s been pretty amazing,” Hepp said by phone just before leaving Argentina. “It’s been the best soccer experience I’ve ever had. The level of play was the highest I’ve ever played at.
“I got to play with a group of guys who are amazing people as well as amazing soccer players. I made friends for life.”
The Pan Am Maccabi Games are a multi-sport event for Jewish athletes from around the world and are conducted similarly to the Olympic Summer Games.
Hepp, 26, is a Homewood alum and helped lead the Patriots to a soccer state championship in 2014. He played collegiately for Birmingham-Southern. He is currently Homewood’s junior varsity girls coach.
A few years ago, Hepp was playing semipro for the FC Birmingham soccer team. The team’s former coach, Preston Goldfarb, who was the U.S. Maccabi team coach, is the one who invited Hepp to join the national team.
“When Coach Goldfarb asked me, I was at a loss for words,” Hepp said. “I was excited and nervous at the same time. It’s been a childhood dream to represent my country playing soccer.”
Hepp, a center back, didn’t expect to play much, but because of some injuries to other players, he was pressed into action.
“He wasn’t expected to start, but we had a top player drop one week before we left with a severe foot injury who had played for me in 2013 and 2017, winning gold both times,” Goldfarb said. “Ryan had an outstanding tournament being thrown in at the highest level with outstanding players surrounding him on our team. I am so extremely proud of Ryan for adjusting so well to this level and excelling every minute of every game.”
Hepp’s younger brother, Eric Hepp, a midfielder, also was on the team. Eric Hepp helped Homewood win the 2018 state championship.
“Eric sustained a concussion against Argentina but played very well,” Goldfarb said.
Ryan Hepp relished the opportunity to play alongside his brother. “It made it very memorable.”
The U.S. team finished the Games with a 2-2 record, missing out on the medal round on the fourth tiebreaker.
They beat Argentina, the reigning Pam Am champs, and Uruguay, the reigning world champions, but lost to Mexico and an under-23 Argentina team.
Goldfarb, who lives in Mountain Brook, has been involved with the Maccabi USA organization since 2009, called the games his coaching swan song. In his blog after the U.S. beat Argentina 3-2 in a 121-minute marathon in its final game, Goldfarb wrote:
“In closing my final chapter of coaching, I must say that in my entire career, I have never been more proud of a bunch a players and team than I was in this one. It was truly my proudest moment in coaching to see every player exhausted and literally playing on one leg, while continuing to play with determination and heart. It made me well up with more pride than I have ever felt in any soccer game I have been involved in.
“We may not have won the gold medal, but we won the hearts and respect from everyone watching. I am thankful to our players and my assistant coach, Ryan Jones, who won two gold medals playing for me in 2013 and 2017 in Israel. He was truly a blessing to coach with.”
