Kastles Stadium Near Completion

Check out our venue.
We'll be playing here next week!!!!!!!!!
The Washington Kastles a really cool professional tennis team headlined by Serena Williams. have nearly finished the early construction of their venue in time for the Homeless USA Cup.
Check this link to a flicker page send to my by Kastles' Owner, Mark Ein. Mark is also a co-producer of Susan Koch's Kicking It, a Ted Leonsis Production.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcalt/sets/72157605705903084/with/2555142234/

We are proud to announce that Mark Ein will present the Kastles' Trophy for best female player of the tournament at the Homeless USA Cup after the final match next Sunday. Since our sport is coed, like the Kastles', the Kastles wanted to affirm the the women ancourage there number in the future by making this award.

Hoover and David

Hoover and David:
(pictured above in Charlotte, North Carolina)

Hoover looks 15. He’s 20, but for someone his ages he has lots of stories to tell. He works at temp agencies, but nothing regular. When he can't find or make a friend. He sleeps outside.

David also sleeps outside but he’ll have an option to move indoors now that his disability check has come through.

If at times Hoover and David seemed more distracted than at others, it probably has to do with the regularity of their sleep or their meals. If they can’t find a couch to sleep on, it’s an abandoned building, or a camp spot in between the center city and the 277 beltway, or else they just wander “like zombies” all night, "staying safe."

“Soccer keeps me focused, it keeps me from exlpoding and doing something stupid. I’d probably go ride with someone to Florida, or get mixed up in something I shouldn’t be doing if I wasn’t playing on this team. But I feel like I can make some progress if I stick with this. I feel like I have somebody behind me.

Thursday, Hoover and Davids started at left and right midfield for Street Soccer 945. Standing on top of each other they barely clear 10 feet in height.

The game marked the return of D. whose drug relapse had us all worried. Big D's renewed focus was an inspiration to all. Even three goals from the prodigal striker couldn't pull us even and we lost by 3 goals. Hoover and David were goofing around like children, and frankly it was a pleasure to see. The team singing D’s nickname, D-bone to various hip hop song. Then D opened the van door and screamed to whomever was out there. "I am going to DC! I am going to DC!" The tension was visibly lacking in D's face. He looked handsome, young, full of hope and clear eyed. It’s these moments most of all that pay the bills as a homeless soccer coach.


In local competition last week the Street Soccer Stars rebounded from two straight losses to mark a convincing victory by thte score of 10-5.

We focused team discussion on suporting each other and moving past the last play and on th with game. 8 minutes into the game the team found itself down 3-0. Tempers were heated, but the team kept it’s focus. At the half we scored a clutch goal to pull to within 1 goal 4-3. The second half was a complete romp. Victory was one success. D was another. And the cherry on top had to be news of Craig's new job at Dilworth Grill.

Well done everyone.

LA Ready to Rock

Posted here is a poster for the benefit concert organized for the Los Angeles Team by Gerardo Gomez. The concert features Kemo the Blaxican and Xaris's spoke word as seen on youtube here among many others.

The LA team is organized out of Jovenes Inc. a spanish language teen shelter in LA.

Some say Andrea Marchetti's team is the team to beat. If the team's talent is as big and strong as the heart of player Johny Figueroa they should have nothing but success on the pitch in DC. Below is an excerpt from the note Johny wrote expressing his interest in the coming to the Homeless USA Cup.

"I came to this country looking for a better future. As you also know I have experienced the hardships of sleeping on the street. Being homeless is really depressing, at that time I felt very miserable because sometimes I was unable to eat. I felt angry at myself because I was living in such bad conditions, until I did not believe in myself anymore. But now I have a stable job and I am full-time student at Pasadena City College, thanks to wonderful people that have made me believe in myself.

Soccer has always been my passion. I been playing since I remember. I believe that soccer has taught me many valuable lessons. I learned that it is important to fight and work for what you believe in. I have learned more skills than soccer, such as teamwork and communication skills. I have learned that it's good to broaden one's horizon by meeting and becoming friends with people from other schools and communities. I believe that I have demonstrated my love for the game by my leadership, hard work and dedication. I have demonstrated my passion for learning by dedicating myself to excellence in learning. Because of all I believe that soccer has been I big influence in shifting my life from homeless to a successful student and soccer player. "

St. Louis in the News!

Coach Flomo with team above

Coach Flomo, a refugee from Liberia knows what it is like not to have home. A former child soldier, Flomo has not only had to flee his homeland, he has spent time homeless himself. Today he chooses to give back. After finishing his degree, Flomo became a social worker himself. An attendee of last year’s organziing conference, Flomo has partnered with Kieth Deisner of Peter and Paul’s Shleter in St. Louis to organzie the state’s first homeless soccer team.

Read the recent publicity about the team and their courageous coaches here.

for video go straight here

DC 08: Schedule of Events

The Homeless USA Cup 2008 in Washington DC
June 27-29th

100 homeless athletes from California to New York travel to DC to compete for the Homeless USA Cup and try out for the US team that will travel to the Homeless World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, alongside no fewer than 47 other countries.

The Homeless USA Cup is FREE!

Enjoy exciting 4vs4 soccer. Games are only 15 minutes and feature lots of goals.

Where:

11th and H Street at Washington Kastles Stadium

What and When:

-CBS Early Show: 7:45 Am Friday
-Skill Session with DC United's Ben Olsen: 9:30-10:30
-Opening Ceremony and games 12:30-7pm
-Games: 8am-4pm Saturday, FC Harlem vs. 07 Homeless National Team hosted by Rise Sports
-Semifinals: 5-6pm Saturday
-Rise Sports Poetry Slam: 6-7:30 Saturday
-Championship Matches and Awards Ceremony: 4-5:30 pm Sunday


Celebrity Soccer appearances by Ben Olson and Clyde Simms of DC United, music, poetry, soccer skills competition and more . .

Volunteers and Supporters needed. To get involved please email "volunteer@streetsoccerusa.org."

Also, attend the matches as act of volunteering. By supporting you can play a small role in ending homelessness.

YOU MUST go see the film bought by ESPN that features some of the athletes competing in the tournament: "Kicking it" premiers June 13 in NYC and June 27th in DC and LA--www.kickingitthefilm.com

And learn about the Homeless World Cup at www.homelessworldcup.org

Sponsors include: Ted Leonsis Foundation, Nike, US Soccer Foundation, and Wachovia.
DC Hosts are the National Coaliton for the Homeless and Street Sense Newspaper.

Bring Granola bars for DC Central Kitchen's Healthy Start Program

Street Soccer USA puts on the Homeless USA Cup and is incubated within the Urban Ministry Center.


Please visit/join our facebook group: Street Soccer USA.

Plus, see the new film about the homeless world cup, "Kicking it," June 13 in NYC and June 27th in DC and LA: www.kickingitthefilm.com

HOMELESS USA CUP 2008: MATCH SCHEDULE

USA%20Homeless%20Soccer%20Cup%20Match%20Schedule%20UPDATE2008.xls

Link here to get the match schedule. Grouping will be announce the day of the event and posted to the blog.

Participating teams incude:

US National Team (From Previous Years)
Atlanta
Austin
Charlotte
Los Angeles
Minnesota
Michigan
New York
Richmond
San Francisco
St. Louis
Washington, DC

The Beautiful Game......

Agent for Social Change, and friend and supporter of Street Soccer USA and the Homeless USA Cup, Kevin Carroll recently posted several blogs about Kicking It the film at his ESPN Page 2 site.

Check out his musings at ESPN Page 2, and keep checking back to see what other exciting events he's writing about: http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Katalyst4Sport/blog/posts/56974

Kastles Open Their Home to the Inaugural Homeless USA Cup

At the Homeless USA Cup later this month, players will be at center stage during tournament play. When fans descend on the Washington Kastles 2,020 seat stadum, they will be treated to a new Downtown DC landmark.


The temporary stadium, located at the site of the former Washington Convention Center, offer up close and personal action throughout the Homeless USA Cup. The Kastles are the newest franchise to join World TeamTennis, which is co-founded by Tennis icon Billie Jean King.

The Kastles team includes such tennis superstars as Serena Williams and Thomas Blake, and the three-week "fan focused tennis" season will see John McEnroe and Anna Kournikova make stops at the new stadium.

The vision for bringing the Kastles to Washington, DC is led by Mark Ein, a businessman and philanthropist, and also Executive Producer of KICKINGIT. Mr. Ein's commitment and generosity to local efforts, such as the Homeless USA Cup, is greatly appreciated and we thrilled to partner with him and the Kastles.

To learn more about the Washington Kastles visit: www.washingtonkastles.com and to purchase tickets call: (202) 4TENNIS

"A Ball Can Change Your Life" - Kevin Carroll Katalyst

At the 2006 Homeless World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, those inspirational words echoed across the street soccer pitch and into the hearts and minds of the more than 48 nations participating at the Homeless World Cup. Kevin's energy brought players from Canada to Chile, and Poland to Portugal to their feet in celebration of soccer, sport and life.

Kevin remains an active supporter and advocate of the Homeless World Cup through his sponsorship of Gomo Tong Football Club representing Uganda in Cape Town and again in Copenhagen in 2007, and spreading the mantra from his personal story that, “A Ball Can Change Your Life.”

This year, Kevin graciously extended his support to the Homeless USA Cup as a sponsor and supporter of the Inaugural USA Cup.

Among his many experiences and talents, Kevin is an author, and agent for social change. He travels the world, and helps people harness the power of sport and play as a vehicle for chasing and achieving their dreams. As an author, Kevin has achieved incredible success with his first book, Rules of The Red Rubber Ball (ESPN Books). Discover Your Inspiration and Chase it for a Lifetime (ESPN Books) will be released in 2008.

We want to thank Kevin for his friendship and for inspiring all of us to realize that a ball IS changing lives. Check out his musings at: katalystatlarge.com during the Homeless USA Cup and also, his prose at ESPN’s Page 2: http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Katalyst4Sport

Thanks US Soccer Foundation! A Home Field at Last

We started out several years ago wearing red pennies as uniforms. Some of the players wore jeans to practice. I'll never forget a goal scored by Casey Williams wearing his steel toed work boots. We've come along way since then in so many ways.

We built our first home field in collaboration with our arts program and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Architecture Department. That was great, but it still wasn't regulation and we couldn't host a US Cup on it.


Thanks to the US Soccer Foundation and it's friendly partners Sport Court and on this project, Athletica, plus contributions from the KICKINGIT producers we've created the soccer court built to Homeless World Cup specs in the US . . . and it's beautiful.

We put it together inside Covenant Presbyterian's gym in Charlotte to get everything in order ahead of the big date.

We have gotten our logistic down. The walled system can go up in fewer than 45 minutes. We proved that on visits to HELP USA in New York and the Daily Planet in Richmond, VA. That adventure deserves it's own post. It involved me, Craig, a former Homeless World Cup player and the American subject of KICKINGIT documentary, Coach Rob, and Arcady, the organizer of the Russian street soccer music ( he's also in KICKINGIT). We were crammed in a 26 ft truck with no radio and governor on 60 miles an hour. As I said, it deserves it's own post.

The flooring under Sport Court expert Joel's supevision took two hours as long to install with five of our athletes helping out. We hope to cut that installation time in the next go around.

The bottom line is that we have an incredible, portable facility that can be shared with other cities and which can train our national team.

In the words of 2005 Homeless World Cup Team member Ray Isaac, "It just keeps getting realer and realer."

The Leonsis Foundation

As you may know, KICKINGIT is the remarkable documentary film crafted by Susan Kock and her team and produced by Ted Leonsis Films in accordance with Ted Leonsis's concept of filmanthropy, which is widely written about on the web and applies to both of Ted's films, Nanking and KICKINGIT. You should read Ted's blog, Ted's take. Link here.

Believe what you read: while not only using the film to catalyze interest in the problem of homelessness and to empower organizations like the Homeless World Cup, Ted has underwritten the Homeless USA Cup through he and his wife Lynn's foundation. All this in on top of taking a personal interest in the lives of the players in the film.

Thank you for making this tournament, this bright spot in lives of so many who are down and out, a reality!

Countdown to DC 08 Begins

Homeless USA Cup June 27-29
To Volunteer email volunteer@streetsoccerusa.org

A year ago at the Urban Ministry Center we hosted a conference that was the first step in taking Street Soccer 945 national. Beside launching Street Soccer USA, the conference brought in representatives from 9 cities that wanted to use the soccer as tool to change lives and change attitudes about homelessness in their own community.

Now Street Soccer USA is hosting 11 cities in the nation's capital at the Homeless USA Cup. Local partners in DC, Street Sense and the National Coalition for the Homeless, were part of that original organizing conference and have been working since that date to put on the Homeless USA Cup.

Our sponsors include The Leonsis Foundation, Nike's Let Me Play, Wachovia, US Soccer Foundation, among others.

Participating cities include:

Charlotte NC, Urban Ministry Center's Street Soccer 945
Atlanta, GA, Task Force for the Homeless
Richmond, VA, The Daily Planet
Los Angeles, CA, Jovenes, Inc.
San Francisco, CA, Spitfire Soccer Academy
Minneapolis, MN, Youth Link
St, Louis, MO, Peter and Paul Community Services
Austin, TX, Life Works
Ann Arbor, MI, SSPORT
Washington, DC, National Coalition For the Homeless
New York, NY HELP USA

Three day tournament will include inspirational speakers, soccer demos, LA GALAXY vs. DC UNITED, and most importantly scores of exciting 4vs4 soccer action for all to enjoy free of charge.

The tournament will also serve as a means for selecting our national team which will participate in the Homeless World Cup in Melbourne this December.

Atlanta Task Force prepare for USA CUP 2008

Last year Boubacar Sarr spent two weeks with the 2007 US National Team for the Homeless World Cup. Since then he has gone back to Atlanta and revitalized the street soccer team at the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless. He is now in the final stages of preparing his Atlanta Street Soccer Team for USA CUP 2008. He reports that they have been training regularly and are close to ready for the trip to DC. The Atlanta Team was recently outfitted with gear from the US Soccer Foundation's Passback program and also had 'ATLANTA' t-shirt printed by volunteers. We look forward to seeing them in action in June.

Bicycle Kick!

Pictured here is Rodney Giles, Ray Isaac, Justin Rucker and John Nze of Street Soccer 945 in front of Rodney’s new bike. Last month an anonymous donor read our blog about Rodney’s participation in the Belmont Abbey Hunger Week 5k Race. The donor was so touched by Rodney’s story that they had a bike sent to the Urban Ministry Center for him. Here is a link to that story:

http://www.communityworks945.org/StreetSoccer945/blog/2007/11/hunger-week-at-belmont-abbey-supports.html

Thanks very much for supporting our players and program. We are thankful!

Rodney Scores a Bicycle

Pictued here is Rodney Giles, Ray-Ray, Justin Rucker and John Nze of Street Soccer 945. Last month an

An Early Start to Spring Cleaning

Our friends over at Trinity Episcopal came down to the Urban Ministry Center on Tuesday to help us sharpen up the Art Park. The winter took its toll on the park leaving debris blown up into the corners of the tire wall and dust and dirt covering the playing field. With brooms and dustpans and plastic gloves for picking up trash the students attacked the field with determination and energy.
The first class focused on sweeping and picking up trash while the second class scrubbed the benches that surround the park, cleaned behind the dasher boards and picked up trash along side the player benches. Some students, particularly the young gentleman in the first picture, were on a mission to get down and dirty while others who still made a big contribution were more in amazement saying "ohh gross, a cigarette!" as they kneeled down to pick up a butt that was resting in the goal mouth. Neigbors of the center and street soccer players jumped in to help and folks who were using the lockers were thankful for having the area cleaned up. The park will be back in full swing in April so please visit the website to find out about the next open mic or soccer scrimmage. The art park continues to bring communities together and be a place of sharing and group effort. The park was erected with the help of UNCC college students and yesterday was maintained with the help of elementary school students all the while neighbors of the Urban Ministry Center tend to its needs year around. Whether it is students working with the community at the center to build or to clean, or it’s the street soccer team working together to prepare for the Homeless World Cup or an open mic night, the art park is a symbol of community collaboration and space. A big thanks to the Trinity students and teachers and of course to our dedicated soccer team members and Homeless Helping Homeless cleanup crew for volunteering your time to make our park clean again.

Historic Moment: San Francisco's First Team

Coach and Organizer Julius Ujeh is pictured in the center with an eager group of new recruits which includes serious soccer talents and some newcomers to the game. If they can sustain their enthusiasm they promise to be and exciting force in the USA Cup this summer in DC. Julius himself has an impressive soccer pedigree, having worked with US Soccer national programs. He now directs Spitfire Soccer Academy in San Francisco.

Update: Craig's Home Gets Upgrade

It's been several weeks now that Craig has been living in his new apartment, but just this past week he was able to fall back and enjoy the feeling of landing in his own bed. Until late last week Craig had just been sleeping on the floor in his new place but after a few clicks on the computer and a short drive across town Craig now has a proper place to rest. I had made a few calls to some churches to see if there were any donated mattresses or beds laying around but had not had any luck when the obvious hit me. The answer was in the name. Lets try Craigslist to find a bed for Craig! A few hours later we were in the van picking up a box spring and mattress for $20 from a lady whose roommate had just moved out. You can see Craig pictured here touching his new bed and then below taking a dive on his back making sure everything was sturdy. Craig is adjusting well to having his own place and says that he always pays his rent early and makes sure to try to get groceries when he can afford them to keep his roommate (the apartment owner) happy. He hasn't however mastered the art of cooking just yet. Early last week he was at the Urban Ministry Center working on his GED lessons when he popped in my office and said "oh crap Rob, I think I left the oven on in the house." We drove over to the apartment and went inside and all was OK, the place just smelt of burnt chicken for a few days. Everything else has been great though, like moments after our league game on Wednesday when I was taking players to the winter shelter and to the transit center after the game. Craig spouted out with a big grin, "oh man, I was worried for a second, I didn't know where I was going to crash tonight and then I remembered, oh yea, I can just go home." Craig's laughter and frequent phone calls to let us know that he is just at the house hanging out are a joy to witness and now that the basics of having a bed to rest in are done Craig is continuing on his next mission- conquering the GED. Thanks for reading.

Winter Seasons End

(Santonio Williams recieved shot instruction from teammate Dwayne Gourzong in practice this week.)


1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, . . .

So the score-line went until the score was 7-6. After World Cup veteran Elmer Nunez smacked the post with a chance that would have put the street soccer stars up 7-6. It was his third post of the evening. A counter attack to the same play left our heros trailing for the 7th time. Undaunted, the street soccer stars came back for the 7th consecutive time. This time on the very last play of the game. Elmer again was involved. He saw the older coach Cann calling for a service and put up a perfectly lofted ball from the midway line. Coach Cann fought off an elbow in the back by the opposing goalie and rose above three players to head the ball down and onto goal. Smack. Again, agonizingly, the 7th comeback was denied by the post. Cann scrapped for his own rebound, and muscled the ball back into the net as the buzzer sounded, but the referee called him for playing the ball on the ground ( a no-no in the indoor league). Never mind that he was literally tumbled on by the opposing team and forced to the ground.

In this manner, street soccer lost their semifinal match, and thus their dream of a first ever championship was denied. The team protested the final call, but knew that they had the chances to win the game earlier. The team left proud and talking about next season.

The street soccer 945 squad also ended it's season losing a hard fought game against the league's top seeded team. A physical battle tested the squad's composure, but did not break it. New comer David debuted and Capone returned to action after injury. Tony Kelly is to be commended for his improved attitude, hustle, and ability to score goals when we need them this season. Dwayne Gourzong and Tim Cummings tied for most games played this season as both played double duty on tuesday and wednesday nights. A highlight this week was Dwayne taking a leadership role in practice, actually running a shooting drill, teaching new-comers to the game how to strike a powerful shot.

All in all, progress on the field was matched by progress off. On the ride back after the game Capone verbalized what the team is all about, "You know, I really have changed a lot since I got involved with you all. I mean, I am being productive with my time and I am focused on doing good things. I am not going to lie to you, Lawrence, I used hustle, I sold drugs, but I that's not who I am." Since joining the team Capone has gotten employment at a Toys R Us Warehouse and reunited with his sister. He now works with her and pays rent in a small house they rent together with his older brother.

News from Michigan

Sara Silvennoinen founded and coaches Ann Arbor's street soccer team. Her note on her team and one player, as well as other info, is published below. We are so impressed with Sara, her team, and her organzition. Enjoy her post:

Jon Wallace:

Profile of an Washtenaw County Street Soccer Player


2007 was both a year of hardship and tragedy as well as a year of hope and new beginnings for Jon Wallace. The 46-year-old divorced, unemployed, homeless man who had struggled with homelessness and Alcohol Abuse since his divorce about 15 years ago was sleeping on the streets, drinking regularly, and doing “nothing” with his life. One autumn night, while sleeping at his campsite, another homeless man suddenly attacked Jon and slammed his head into his full backpack several times, causing multiple head wounds including a broken nose, laceration of the ear, and tore hair from his head. Jon attempted to press charges but when he went to court, he was escorted out and told by security officers that he was “drunk” and therefore could not be in the courthouse. Jon stated he had not been drinking, but was so discouraged by the experience that he never pursued the assault charge.

In August 2007, Sara Silvennoinen, LLPC/CAAC of the Washtenaw County PORT (Project Outreach Team) program, organized and initiated a local soccer team for the homeless in Washtenaw County. She decided to call the team “The SSPORT,“ for “The Street Soccer PORT” Team. The PORT program is a unique initiative funded to, as the name implies, outreach to mentally ill homeless individuals in the community, engage with them, and provide treatment, and/or connect them with other appropriate services. As an outreach program, PORT staff also regularly has contact with the homeless population at large, regardless of a mental illness diagnosis. The invitation to take part in the SSPORT Team and begin practices in August, 2007 was extended to the entire local homeless population.

Jon just happened to be at the park where the soccer practices were being held one day, and with a little encouragement from Sara, decided to give it a try. He began attending practices regularly, and soon was learning to play goalie for the team. He has been the most consistent team member and has exhibited his commitment to mastering the position of goal keeper so that he can represent SSPORT and participate in the Homeless World Cup in Washington D.C. next spring. Several PORT and local shelter staff have noticed a marked change in Jon since he began playing with SSPORT. Unsolicited remarks made by staff have been that his mood and affect have been brighter, he has been more social, he has noticeably decreased his drinking, and he has been a voluntary PR representative for the team by encouraging others to join and support SSPORT.

Additionally, he is now living in an apartment with a friend for whom he has been appointed as payee, has followed up with medical treatment as encouraged by his SSPORT coach, has become more motivated to look for employment, has voiced a desire to learn to type, and is always the jokester at practices, making his teammates and coaches laugh. Jon’s love for the game was especially visible when he and several other teammates attended a Detroit Ignition (professional indoor soccer team) game in November 2007. Tickets had been donated by community members so that SSPORT players could attend. Jon was rapt in the goalies’ every move on the field and he learned some new skills he could apply to his game during practices. He has also taken it upon himself to go the library to learn more about goaltending.

Jon’s own perception of how Street Soccer has impacted him are that it “gives me something to look forward to”, “I’m loving the hell out of playing soccer!”, and “without soccer life would be depressing.” He is a valued member of the SSPORT Team and his coaches are very proud of the progress he has made both on and off the field. We look forward to bringing him and his teammates to D.C. to meet and learn from other Street Soccer players from around the country and also to have the opportunity to put their skills to the court in a real soccer competition.

Colin Farrell Supports HWC around the world

Colin Farrel discusses his soccer background (Colin's father was capped for Ireland and Colin was youth player until 15), soccer in the USA, and the HWC with our own Lawrence Cann at the Sundance Festival.

Colin, of course, besides being a talented and famous actor, is the narrator of "Kicking It." Kat Byle's interview with Colin for the HWC can be linked to here http://www.homelessworldcup.org/zine/news/colin-farrell-narrates-kicking-it.

The film's website is www.kickingitthemovie.com

Director Susan Koch, editor Jeff Warner, director of photography Neil Barrett, and composer Charlie Barnett deserve top praise. The film, which ESPN bought, played to loud applause and packed theaters in Park City. Like the sport of soccer does, this film to an amazing degree, humanizes the homeless in an honest and beautiful way.

Greetings From Sundance

View this trailer of the film. The US portion focuses on Craig Holley, the amazingly courageous young man who has come through our program. He works at Mert's Heart and Soul Restaurant in Uptown, Charlotte and lives in his own apartment with a coworker now. Soccer continues to be a sustaining force in Craig's life. He says, "Soccer is my therapy." He will be in uniform next week when the Street Soccer Stars enter the playoffs.

Danielito

Denmark Veteran Daniel Martinez pictured above.

Daniel Martinez' smile came in through the window first, so that he seemed to follow it in through the door. But that is Daniel these days. He just finished his first semester at the community college. You look at Daniel and you feel like you are looking through your first pair of prescription sunglasses, he in sharper focus than anything you have seen before. He got a raise and is working night shift now, which excludes him from our league games. He gets his soccer on the weekend, coaching latino kids in Rock Hill, about 25 minutes South of Charlotte. Daniel will attend a coaching clinic to begin to get his coaching liscence this spring at the same time that coach Rob will go to get a more advanced liscence. Our hope is that one day Daniel could even coach the US street soccer team at a Homeless World Cup. In the meantime it will be a good way for him to earn extra money.

The Street Soccer Stars finished their regular season tonight in one of the top four spots, meaning they achieved their goal of making the play-offs. With this finish, they have finished higher than any other Street Soccer team in any competition. In contrast to the victory last week, the Stars did not make the other team unravel. Our Colombian opponents maintained their focus. It was the Stars who slipped out of their passing game and into a bit of long ball. A needless foul at the top of the box by Mike McGregor let to a quick start goal. A poorly set wall led to another. A third goal near the end was a result off not getting back goal-sides, something the team has improved on tremendously this winter. Those slip-ups made the difference in the game. We had our chances, but couldn't quite get a finish. We settled for complicated passes when the simple would have sufficed. The greatest thing of all is that we can point to a handful of slip ups and pinpoint our weaknesses. In all the years of working with street soccer teams, we have never had so few problems to address. As coaches in the past we rarely ever got past the basic fundamentals. While bad habits change slowly, we must give credit to the team despite its 5-3 loss. Another positive is that our solid opponents have taught us what we need to work on ahead of the playoffs.

We might add that few of the other team's players got up at 4am and walked to the bus stop in 20 degree weather like our goalie Tim. Most people weren't hunting down immigration papers and stressing about the status of their greencard like Dwayne. The McGregors, God bless them, are staring eviction in the face since it was their mother's name on the lease and now she failed to return from Panama. Dave was almost frantic talking with Rob yesterday on the way to pracitce, "I don't want to be homeless again, I got to get a job, I got to get education."

Stay tuned for more. Tomorrow night the 945 squad is in action. Next week is a rest before the playoffs the following week.

Composure

["Good thinking, coach!" The team has showed great progress on the field this season. Coach Rob pictured above.]

The Street Soccer Stars beat an all Jamaican team by the score of 8-4 last night. After going down we drew level within three minutes, then extended our lead at half-time to 4-3. We missed two easy chances that would have put us comfortably ahead and gave up two goals at the end that we didn't need to. We had played a great first half, finding our target men in the middle and switching the field two even three times to find an opening each possession. We said composure would make the difference in the second half. If we could play our game and not get frantic, we would win. Our composure was tested early. We dropped two goals and the lead, but again we leveled quickly. When we answered again to pull ahead 6-4, it was our opponents who lost their cool. As they fought themselves we added another goal and yet another and maintained possession of the ball most of the half. We could have easily added more to the lead as we missed two open goals and hit the post in the final minutes. We were proud of our maturity on the field today.

Dave and Michael known for their flashes of brilliance gave solid, consistent performances. Off the field their saga continues. Over-stressed to the point of a breakdown, their mother returned to Panama before Christmas after hearing of the death of relative. Not only did the price of the ticket use up her share of the rent, but they received notice the day before Christmas that she would not be returning. Just a couple weeks earlier they seemed more stable than ever. Now, their mother is gone and Dave and Michael are looking for more work to make ends meet. Street Soccer remains the most consistent thing in their life and I marvel not only at their dedication, but their improvement on the field. Here we see the benefit of dividing into two teams paying dividends for the more skilled players and the lesser skilled players, each getting the chance to develop at their own level.

We missed big D-bone and Craig who were both at practice during the day but missed the game, D-bone do to transportation issues and Craig because he was working. Practice featured three new recruits potentially debuting next week for the 945 squad. D-bone also had his long awaited immigration attorney appointment today. Fighting an addiction is a difficult thing and leads to criminalization that makes getting work and renewing your green card difficult. All admiration goes out to D who was straightforward and brave as the attorney explained the worst case scenarios to him. We will hope for the best case. D, by the way is a Jamaican national who came to the US at 13. He is now 31. Many thanks to the Anne Crowdy, sole attorney at the International House which takes on cases pro bono for the homeless.

A lot of credit goes to Jorge and Tim, our sweeper and goalie who had to be strong all day against the long ball game of our opponents.

In this our penultimate game of the regular season, we have put our selves in a good position to finish in the top 3. Mathematically we have a chance at first. Currently we sit third. We have beaten one of the two teams ahead of us and if it were not for our own mistakes against a team we should have beaten early in the competition we would be sitting in a tie for first.

If you are in town come cheer us on in our final regular season game next tuesday.