Jay DeAlmeida

Jay DeAlmeida grew up playing soccer across various regions of the United States while following his father’s military assignments. His competitive journey began at age nine with the Salisbury Ocean City Missiles (Maryland), where he played as a left or right forward for four years. His talent earned him a spot on Maryland’s ODP team, but before he could showcase his abilities, his family relocated due to his father’s military service. In 1999, Jay moved to Fayetteville, NC, where he played varsity soccer as a freshman at Seventy-First High School. That same year, he was selected to play for the ’84 Fayetteville Force, leading the team to a state championship and a regional appearance in Plano, TX. During regionals, he received an invitation to join the U-15 national team, but due to other obligations, he was unable to participate.

In 2001, Jay relocated to Milford, MA, where he played varsity soccer as a sophomore and competed with Tri-Valley United, winning a state championship. From 2002 to 2003, he played for Ashland High School (Ashland, MA), helping the team secure its first division title in over 40 years as a junior and making a playoff run as a senior. After high school, Jay played one season at Dean College (Franklin, MA) in 2003 before enlisting in the military in 2005. He represented the military soccer team in 2008 and 2012, earning an All-Tournament Team selection in 2012. Throughout his service, he remained active in the sport, competing in various leagues and tournaments in Hawaii before moving to Georgia in 2012.

Upon arriving in Savannah, GA, Jay played for the Savannah Clovers UPSL team from 2016 to 2019, contributing to the club until its transition to a higher division with age requirements. He continues to compete in various tournaments while passing on his love for the game by teaching his children how to play.