Uniting

Last summer I spent six weeks in France and traveling Europe. During that time I had the chance to experience the European love of soccer firsthand. No matter where I was in Europe, the language, or the preferred alcoholic beverage, the people were always united by at least one common tie: soccer. It was during this trip that I realized the true power of a sport to connect not just a nation, but the entire world.

The world's love of soccer is pretty contagious. The United States is one of the few countries in the world that doesn't love football with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, but when the World Cup rolls around even the United States can't help but catch the fever. Case in point, Abby Wambach, Hope Solo, and the rest of the Woman's National Soccer Team's trip to the World Cup Finals this past summer. I remember sitting in a bar in France with a couple of Germans, watching the American team play. It was one of the most entertaining sporting events I have ever seen, against a Japanese team representing a recently ravaged nation. As disheartening as the US's loss was, in that beautiful moment I saw the world coming together in their excitement for a nation that needed a national triumph. At that point I knew I had to get on that bandwagon.


Upon returning home, I immediately became invested in Columbus's own Crew. I was very excited to find out that our required reading for SLA 371 included a book about a soccer team. I didn't know what to expect from reading it, but at the very least I was excited to learn a bit more about the culture of soccer. It didn't really matter that I didn't have high expectations for the reading, because even if I did, Warren St John's portrait of the Fugees youth soccer club in Clarkston would have blown those expectations off the soccer pitch.

Outcasts United is a powerful story about an immigrant from Jordan forming a youth soccer club in a refugee town in Georgia. The story details Ms. Luma Mufleh's absolutely captivating journey, beggining with her own youth struggles, then through her efforts in creating the Fugees, the battles the team faces, and Luma's ultimate success. Luma is an absolutely inspiring woman and a leader from whom we could learn so much. While Luma may not know it, her efforts seem to take a page straight out of the authoritative book on the social change model of leadership. Through her actions she has effected positive change for the betterment of the people and the community around her.

One of the pillars of this model that Luma demonstrates is her COMMITMENT. Despite the many obstacles that faced her youth program, she never yielded. Luma struggled to maintain a business, all while coaching the Fugees, and aiding her players' families. She made sure her players were getting the proper tutoring, she coordinated with the YMCA, and after the YMCA fell through, she fought tooth and nail to find the team a home at a safe soccer pitch. This absolutely demonstrated her commitment to the Fugees and to her mission.

Another aspect of the social change model that was manifested in Luma's work was CITIZENSHIP. It seems that in the end, creating good citizens was Luma's real goal. She worked hard to ensure that her players were developing into good citizens of the Clarkston community. The Fugees provided the players with a way to stay out of trouble with drugs and gangs and ensured the kids were getting a proper education. Luma even went so far as to have the players on the youth team sign a code of conduct. This really illustrates her efforts as a citizen herself, and how her efforts then went on to mold new citizens.

A third aspect of the social change model that Luma exhibited was CONTROVERSY WITH CIVILITY. A key thread of Outcasts United dealt with Luma trying to find a safe place for her kids to practice. When Luma was denied the use of an unused park in Clarkston, she didn't throw a fit, make threats, stomp her feet, and give up. Instead, she took a step back, thought creatively, and solved the problem by appealing to the city council. This really illustrates how Luma always remained civil and productive, not allowing setbacks to negatively impact her behavior.

Throughout Outcasts United, Luma was a very consistent individual. She always fought for what she believed in and stuck to her guns. She treated her entire team fairly, if not equally. She consistently stuck her neck out for her students and went above and beyond the call of duty in almost every aspect. You could really tell that she truly loved her players and their families. Through her efforts she was able to use soccer to unite a patchwork of kids from many different nations.

Outcast United was categorically the most inspiring book I have ever read. I spent the entire book thinking about different ways that I could help those around me. And the book doesn't just give you a warm fuzzy feeling, it really motivates you to find ways to create a positive impact in your community. I can honestly tell you that I was truly touched by this book. I have told everyone who will listen to me that they MUST read it. For every person who reads Luma's story, there will be another person encouraged to effect positive change for the betterment of the individuals around them, their community, and possibly even the world. Luma did it through soccer, one of the world's largest "uniters." How will you do it?