The San Diego Sockers player known as “Shadow” was remembered with a special tribute before the team’s game Sunday.
One by one players ran on to the field at the Valley View Casino Center and touched the jersey of defender Abel Sebele.
Ten days earlier, Sebele was seen trying to cross traffic from the right shoulder to the center median along Interstate 5 near Old Town Avenue. He was struck by a car and died at the scene.
Teammates were visibly shaken as they fathered in a circle mid-field and listened to the video tribute.
Sebele, 26, was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and came to the U.S. in 2005 to live in the Washington, D.C. area. His nickname "Shadow" came from his childhood tendency to follow around his older brother, according to team officials.
After playing for West Virginia University for three years, he began playing professional indoor soccer. He joined the Sockers this year, coming from the Witchita B52's.
Sebele was considered a bright prospect for the future of the club after just five games.
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“Even more important than his exploits on the field, Shadow will always be remember for his demeanor and the way he treated everyone with respect and dignity," the announcer said.
California Highway Patrol Officers have not determined why Sebele was crossing the highway. The traffic collision remains under investigation.
