Former CCU soccer player ready for pro career in Charleston

As teams across the United Soccer League prepare for the 2019 season, a former Coastal Carolina soccer player is reading to begin his professional career.

Former forward Romario Piggott will play for the Charleston Battery this upcoming season after signing with the club in Sep. 2018. However, due to the paperwork on Piggott’s work visa it took longer than expected.

Piggott expressed his gratitude towards the Charleston Battery for sticking with him throughout the process and keeping him for the 2019 roster.

“I am very grateful because it is very difficult for an international player getting in on an American roster because of the paperwork,” said Piggott. “There are a lot of skilled international players that have a hard time coming to play in the States because teams don’t like to mess with visas and that kind of paperwork… but the coach at Charleston saw me play and he liked what he saw so I am very happy.”

Piggott spent a year at Coastal Carolina University where he scored six goals and added six assists in 22 games for the Chanticleers during the 2017 season, helping lead the team to the round of 16 of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

After his time at Coastal, Piggott joined the Myrtle Beach Mutiny of the United Soccer League Pro Developmental League (USL PDL). Piggott scored seven goals and tallied six assists in 14 games for the Mutiny during the summer of 2018. Piggott earned All-Conference honors and helped the Mutiny to a South Atlantic Division Championship and playoff berth.

Piggott came to the United States in 2016 but prior to coming to America, Piggott played at the professional level in his native country of Panama.

Piggott talked about how different playing and training at the professional level in America was compared to the style of play at the professional level in his home country.

“It is kind of similar but it is more about adapting to the new plays, new teammates and the coach’s system,” said Piggott. “Here in the States, they push you a lot harder because they want to see you at your best.”

Piggott is one of 17 Coastal Carolina soccer players to have made it to the professional level. Piggott talked about how the program helped him get to the level of play where he is at today.

“Coastal really helped me adapt to the American soccer style,” said Piggott. “[American soccer] is a lot more physical than the soccer I was used to back in Panama. College soccer at Coastal really helped me with that.”

The Charleston Battery began preseason play on Feb. 16, falling to FC Cincinnati 2-1 in the 2019 Carolina Challenge Cup. The Battery followed up that game by drawing 2008 MLS Champion Columbus Crew 1-1 on Feb. 20.

The Battery open their 2019 USL season at home on Saturday, Mar. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston, SC.