TEMECULA – Mario Collazo thought his plan was derailed after tragedy struck his family.

His grandmother died last month, prompting part of Collazo's family to fly to Mexico on short notice. On top of the devastating news was the burden of unexpected travel expenses.

It was also bad timing. Collazo was in the midst of raising funds for a trip of a lifetime: a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with his Penya FC Barcelona soccer club teammates.

“I didn't think it was possible I was going to get the money to go,” Collazo said.

But thanks to a generous coach, a teammate and a former teammate, Collazo was on a flight Wednesday from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo.

Collazo and eight teammates then traveled to Brazilian club Fluminense's training facilities in Rio de Janeiro for a two-week stay.

The trip includes a series of training sessions under Fluminense coaches, matches against youth pro teams, attendance at two Brazilian league games and a chance to explore the city. The group is slated to return from Brazil Aug. 18.

The team is scheduled to compete in its first match today. The opponent? One of Fluminense's youth teams.

The FC Barcelona's under-19 team is made up mostly of athletes from Vista, Carlsbad, Valley Center, Escondido and San Marcos high schools.

Most players are members of what used to be the North County United club in San Marcos. NC United merged this year with FC Barcelona in Temecula, where the club holds practices twice a week.

Collazo, an incoming senior at Mission Hills High, is glad he didn't miss out. He's grateful to Jim Pennock, the club's under-19 team coach, and classmate Omar Alvarez.

“I started getting money out of nowhere,” said Alvarez, who raised money by sending out fliers to family members about the trip. “I got more than I needed. So, I gave Mario $200.”

With the $300 he raised, a $600 donation from the family of former teammate Charlie Gittins and a $1,200 loan from Pennock, Collazo had enough to cover the $2,100 package. That includes airfare, food and board.

“I told him he's going to have to pull weeds out of my yard for 120 hours,” Pennock said. “I figured at $10 per hour, that's how many hours he'd have to put in.”

Pennock didn't want Collazo to miss out on the opportunity, especially after the family tragedy.

“These guys look at me as a second dad,” Pennock said. “Some of them won't go to college. Mario is probably one of them. He's a great player. Going to Brazil is a chance to be noticed by pro teams.”

Displaying his skills for foreign teams wasn't in Collazo's thoughts. The trip to Brazil seemed distant.

His entire family flew last month to San Diego de Alejandria, a small town in the Mexican state of Jalisco, when his grandmother became ill. Collazo and his family returned to California after it appeared she was on the mend. A few weeks later, the family received the bad news, and Collazo's mother returned to Mexico for funeral services.

“It was a tough time,” Collazo said. “But it all worked out.”

Rachid Elbekraoui, the club's CEO and program director, is glad the trip became a reality.

Elbekraoui faced a series of challenges trying to get travel visas for the players. It took four trips to the Brazilian consulate in Los Angeles and a phone call from former Brazilian national team star Carlos Alberto Torres for the South American country to grant the team visas.

“Carlos Alberto is a good friend of mine,” Elbekraoui said. “He called the Brazilian consulate and made it happen.”

Coaches struggled to round up the necessary documents from team parents. Thanks to team manager Nandy Contreras, the needed documents were turned in on time.

“I literally was getting signatures at 2 a.m.,” said Contreras, whose son Jesse also made the trip. “It was a headache but it's worth it.”

Jesse Contreras got a job at a local fast food restaurant to pay for most of his trip. He raised $1,200 through work and donations from family members.

“My grandma gave me $600. I wasn't expecting that,” Jesse said.

Elbekraoui expects the players to see soccer differently when they return.

“They're going to get to see what soccer means to people (in Brazil),” Elbekraoui said. “They'll see that players there play to feed their families living in poverty. They'll get to learn what it's like to work hard for the things they want. Thank God some of their parents have the resources to buy them what they want. Those who don't, I think, have already learned the hard way.”

So did Collazo.

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