It's a way to integrate communities, explore cultures and kick a ball around.
The All Nations Cup tournament, which celebrates its fifth anniversary, brings soccer teams representing nations across the world together for a two-week-long event run by the nonprofit organization, Sister Communities.
But the Cup, which begins Friday, July 13, focuses on more than soccer. Through competitive games, teams and spectators experience a cultural explosion that brings the culture of every country to the field in the form of food, entertainment and camaraderie.
An event unique to Seattle, several teams stem from communities within South Seattle. Both Team Somalia and Team Vietnam practice and play most of their games throughout Rainier Valley.
TEAM SOMALIA
Said Fatah started coaching in 1999, when Team Somalia first started and most of the players were new immigrants to the country. Fatah said that although he has seen the team evolve over the years, one aspect hasn't changed-the team continues to aid immigrants from Somalia get integrated into the Somalian community in Seattle.
"The team has helped a lot with immigrants to the country because the very first time is difficult, when you come to new countries on your own," Fatah explained. "But now when new people come they know where they can play and which team they can play with.
"When the players come to the new country," he continued, "we are the bridge to the community with an activity they're already familiar with."
Aside from helping with the transition, the soccer team creates opportunities for the youth in the community to get involved with a positive activity.
"It's a great thing for our community, because this encourages players to come play and avoid getting involved with bad things, stay in school so that way in the future they will have their academic studies and the more chance they'll have to succeed in life," Fatah said.
Fatah said his ultimate goal focuses on keeping the youth of his community involved, and the team currently has 80 percent of its players joining after high school or during their college education.
"The team encourages a sense of community [and] the young players to learn more about their country and culture, and it keeps them going to school," Fatah said.
There is yet another aspect of the team that further excites Fatah, which he explained as "loving each other and growing together.
"I think there's a lot of guys who have a lot of dreams," he said. "One player maybe can play professional some day or coach kids some day. What's exciting for me is that the dream is out there and I get to see it continue," said Fatah.
For teammate Adan Jama, the soccer team became a link to the Somalian community and the means to adjust to integration in South Seattle starting six months ago. Jama has been in the country for a little more than a year, and it wasn't until he found the soccer team that he found himself part of a community.
"It helps new immigrants a lot," Jama said. "It helped me get settled and it helped me because when I first got here I didn't know anybody, but I knew I loved soccer. The first friends I made were soccer players."
Adan attends school in Rainier Valley and said he enjoys the company of the team. He added that he can't wait for the All Nations Cup.
And Team Somalia isn't the only team with success stories.
TEAM VIETNAM
Although Team Vietnam hasn't had the same amount of time to grow and expand as Team Somalia, the team nonetheless has set high goals for itself.
Bao Phan just began managing the team this year, after assisting last year's manager. He said that although the team hasn't entirely found its feet yet, it's already helped his community branch out.
"The best thing about the league is that we're able to venture outside to other communities through soccer," Phan explained. "We are able to learn about their cultures and the way they learn about soccer in their culture."
According to Phan, his own team has grown, learning new strategies and new ways of thinking about the game through contact with the internationally diverse teams they play.
"It's enriched our team, getting to know about other communities," he said. "Soccer brings that education and awareness to me. By playing with them I learn more about who they are. We learn through playing with them.
"It's not just soccer, it's more than that," Phan added. "We bring together guys to represent and [they] have a pride for their community and where they came from."
Phan's co-manager, Vinh Do, said he found the sense of community he was looking for on the team as well. Do has worked with the team for the past four years; he made the team last year.
Do said he wants to focus on promoting the team and its involvement within the Vietnamese community.
"We try to promote our community by being on the soccer team, as well as promote young people to teach them how to play," he explained. "We go to businesses and invite them to come watch games. We try to make it become a community event and have as many peopled involved as possible."
Do and Phan said they would like to see the team and the Vietnamese community gain the passion that they have seen in other teams.
For now, however, the team is looking forward to the All Nations Cup.
ALL NATIONS INTEGRATION
It's not just about soccer anymore. It's about integration, growth and building a connection between different communities.
"The All Nations Cup is a great tournament," Fatah said. "It's not only about soccer, it's about getting together and knowing more communities and cultures.
"It's not all about soccer," he added. "It's about life and different kinds of food, music and friendships across cultures. It's so much more than soccer."
The tournament lasts more than two weeks. This year more than 40 teams will be participating. Although the game is the medium through which these communities are brought together, the tournament also focuses on cultural exploration and entertainment.
"It's an awesome and tremendous event," Phan said. "I want to represent our community at the tournament to let other people know about the Vietnamese. And I want to create friendships and have fun together.
"I'm excited to have such an opportunity to be able to participate as well as having fun in the event," he added.
According to Phan, the team is in its infancy, and the tournament will give his squad the opportunity to expand its strategy and skill in the game. Phan has other goals in mind as well.
"Our first goal is to let other people know about our community," he said. "The second is to build friendships and display our drive, hard work and teamwork to other communities. And the third is to have to fun," Phan added.
This will be Jama's first All Nations Cup, and he said he can't wait to play and meet people from across the world.
The tournament also serves to link these competing communities to Seattle at large, and for teams Somalia and Vietnam to the Rainier Valley in particular.
"We would like to say that although we may be a little bit new to the country, we want to know more about the community and be part of this country," Fatah explained. "We really appreciate the support that we're getting from other communities. It's going to be fun.
"We're going to be good neighbors, good citizens and good community members," Fatah added.
The All Nations Cup begins July 13 and includes art exhibitions, a new theater piece that focuses on how soccer has affected women across the world, and offerings of multi-cultural cuisine. Oh, and lots of soccer. Individual tickets and tournament passes can be purchased through the Web site at www.allnationscup.org.
Jessica Van Gilder can be reached at editor@sdistrictjournal.com.
[[In-content Ad]]
