Sounders FC Latino players are feeling at home in Seattle

Their families are here. Their place in the community as fan favorites is cemented. They know their way around the Seattle area much better now, and their understanding of and comfort with the English language grows daily.

There's no telling how long Sounders FC's foursome of players from Latin American countries will be together in rave green — as well as they've played since joining the team last year — but it's plain to see that this area has become like home to Fredy Montero, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez and Osvaldo Alonso.

The four are almost always together on trips, such as the journey this week to Spain. But as the cultural exchange has widened and communication gap narrowed, life far away from their homelands of Colombia (Montero and Hurtado), Cuba (Alonso) and Costa Rica (Gonzalez) has become easier. As for soccer, a season together on the pitch — even half of one in Gonzalez's case — makes a major difference in Year Two.

"I'm glad to be back and starting the year with this group," said Gonzalez, who joined Sounders FC last July. "I think this team is going to have the opportunity to do some good things. I'm excited about belonging to this team in this city, and it's a good fit and we hope to have a good year."

Gonzalez has found life to be calm in Seattle, which he appreciates for himself and his wife and son. He said he has found people in Seattle to be respectful of those from other countries and a "beautiful place to raise a family."

Like Montero and Hurtado, Gonzalez was able to return to his homeland for a while in the offseason. He spent that time working out with his former club in Costa Rica.

Hurtado, also a husband and father, was glad to get back to Seattle from Colombia. Like his teammates, he continues to appreciate how well the fans treat players in Seattle and support the Sounders.

"I'm looking forward to us taking the next steps quickly to continue to show the capability that we have," Hurtado said.

Hurtado, a Major League Soccer All-Star last season, heard his name mentioned in rumors about being transferred to another club. But he said his agent didn't want to tell him everything so that Hurtado wouldn't get his hopes up about going to a big-name team.

"If it happened, it happened," he said. "If it did, that would have been great, but I'm still glad to be back here."

Hurtado learned a lot about his Sounders teammates, the organization and MLS in his first season. He said he saw professionalism in the way the team went after a championship in its inaugural campaign, and it left an impression on him.

Then he cracked a smile, the unwilling victim of seeds tossed by a teammate at his face while he was talking.

"My son was born here, and my wife is happy that our family is here," Hurtado said.

The Montero family is acclimated enough so that Montero's father, Fredy Sr., considered coaching a team in a competitive Latino recreational league in the Seattle area this winter. The plan fell through due to lack of players to field a full squad, but that doesn't mean that Fredy Sr. won't be on a sideline at a field near you one spring evening.

"He likes soccer a lot," the younger Montero said. "He played soccer and he's followed my games since I was little and he went to all the stadiums where I played in finals. He's got a lot of feeling and heart for the game, and he wants to run a team and the level of play is good here."