Smaira makes long journey to Worcester

As a senior in high school at Lycée Libanais Francophone Privé in Dubai, Jad Smaira was unsure about his future. A three-year captain of the soccer team, he knew he wanted to continue his playing career but did not know where.

After some conversations with Nick Hupe, one of his teammates with the Dubai City Football Club, a new option came into the picture: the College of the Holy Cross. 

“Nick Hupe was one of the biggest reasons I decided to come to Holy Cross,” Smaira said. “He had committed to play here a few years earlier, and introduced me to the coaching staff. Coming to the U.S. had not been in my plans at all, but I had some great zoom calls with the coaches and everything went pretty quick.”

Making the transition to living in another country was not easy for Smaira at first, but knowing that he would have Hupe and several other international teammates by his side made things smoother. 

“All of the international players on the team have been very helpful,” Smaira said. “It makes you feel better to know there are other guys who are in the same situation as you. If you are feeling homesick or missing your family, they know exactly what you are going through.”

Fluent in three languages (French, Arabic and English), Smaira has also adjusted well in the classroom. After attending a high school where he studied everything in French, he was named to the 2022 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll while taking classes in his third language, English. In addition, the economics major completed an internship with PwC Middle East in Dubai last summer.

“My internship was very important in terms of setting myself up for the future,” Smaira said. “Consulting is a field that is very interesting to me, and I was able to gain great experience and exposure to the professional world.”

On the field, Smaira has been a big part of the Crusader defense. In 16 career games played, he has started 14 times while totaling 1,066 minutes of action.  Smaira has played a key role over the last few weeks, during which Holy Cross has allowed only two goals in its last three games.

“The back line has been playing extremely well together, and we have figured out ways to avoid some of the mistakes we were making earlier in the year,” Smaira said. “But it has been more than just the defense. From the strikers all the way to the goalkeeper, everyone has been fighting for every ball and working well as a team.”

Midway through the 2023 campaign, the Crusaders are set to play a pair of road conference games at Army West Point (Sept. 23) and Boston University (Sept. 27) in the next week. Smaira is confident that Holy Cross can have success in the upcoming games and the remainder of the season.

“The team spirit has been extremely positive this year,” Smaira said. “As long as we stick together, work hard and do the basic things right, I think we could have a great season, especially in the Patriot League.”

'SADER SHORTS

• Junior goalkeeper Tristan Stephani recorded his second career shutout while making four saves in the Sept. 19 victory over UMass.
• Junior forward Evan Jones leads the team in scoring with five points on two goals and one assist this year, and now has 15 goals and nine assists for 39 points in his collegiate career.
• Army holds a 21-16-5 lead in the all-time series with Holy Cross, including a 4-1-0 mark in the last five games.
• The Crusaders stand just 5-14-1 all-time against Boston University, but hold a 3-2-1 advantage over the last six games. 
 

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