STREET LEAGUE

Sitting on the car when I was smothered by street league kids

Street leagues are the one Grassroot Soccer program where we play soccer. Street League programs take several weeks because they only run once a week and instead of teaching curriculum the entire session, half the session is used to play soccer. I love the street leagues because it gives the trainers and myself a chance to really connect with the children through soccer. Before and after the session I just hit the ball around with the kids and they laugh when the Mlunglu (white person) trips over the ball. Kids at street league are great. In street leagues the kids come to us not because we are scheduled during their school time but because they want to be there.

Examples: One boy’s mother showed up at a session asking us questions about who we were and what we were all about. After we answered all her questions she said, “Oh I’m happy that he (her son) is here. My boy just keeps sneaking out of the house every Saturday at the same time and I just wanted to know what he was up to.” Another boy showed up to street league in his pajamas. Picture below.

He was so excited he just rolled out of bed and joined us at street league

My favorite street league story by far is from Siya, one of our head trainers. Siya was walking to street league one day when a man swerved and pulled his car right in front of Siya. The man came out of the car asking Siya, “Son where are you going?” Siya told him he was off to Dora Nginza hospital for a street league session. The man then replied, “Well where are they going?” The man then pointed behind Siya to the group of kids following him to street league. Siya started laughing and told the man the kids wait outside his house until he grabs his soccer bag and heads to street league. The kids follow but at a distance so Siya does not see them. Siya told me he knew the kids were following but he did not realize how many kids there were.

Lauren is in charge of street league now and I am a bit jealous because street leagues are by far my favorite. I love to watch the kids learn the curriculum and then to watch their soccer skills. The kids arrive at street league and for the first hour participate in a Grassroot Soccer HIV education game. The last hour the kids break-off into teams of 6-7 players and each trainer takes a team to coach.

Street League team coached by Mendisto

Manchester United player

Soccer games at street league. We usually have six fields playing 6v6 20 minute matches.

Every time I coach a team I try to convince them Manchester United is the best team but I am often shot down by replies like Pirates and Sundowns, both South African professional soccer teams. As for the sweet Soccer skills, I have seen everything from volleys to bicycle kicks at street league. Amazing when coming from 10 and 12 year-old kids. You also see most of the kids either playing with torn shoes, one shoe, or no shoes. One day I tried to go no shoes and made it about 10 steps before my feet were hurting so bad from all the stickers in my feet. Here are a few photos from my roommate Jeremy. He loves to take pictures of feet and the different shoes the kids are wearing.

So cute. The two friends in the picture swapped one pair of their shoes for the day.

One last story from street league. Last week I was coaching a team when I noticed a boy who would limp with every step he took. I called the boy in and asked him what was wrong but he did not understand any English. I then stopped the game and found a boy on the team who spoke English. He translated my concern to the boy who was limping. The young boy then lifted up his pant leg to show me his prosthetic leg which does not bend at the knee. His leg threw me off a bit but he communicated to me that he was fine but could not bend his knee. I let him play on and watched with amazement how he kept up with the other children in the soccer game.

Child helping me translate Xhosa to English

Group discussion during Fact Nonsense