She returns to clarkston to determine how she might help these young refugee boys. All the fugees are refugees, survivors of frightening experiences in faraway places. Paul varian, a senior editor, executive producer and writer at cnn for nearly 30 years before his retirement in late 20 outcasts united is the inspiring story of refugee boys from countries ravaged by war and the enterprising jordanian woman who made them a soccer team and called them the fugees. Led by the founder and coach luma mufleh, a strongwilled, jordanian woman who turned her. Afghanistan, bosnia, burundi, congo, gambia, iraq, kosovo. My visit with the fugees in clarkston, georgia by pat grecco i read a series of articles in the new york times written by warren st. In outcasts united, an adaptation of his adult book about the fugee team family, new york times reporter warren st. John moves back and forth between the individual family stories of the young immigrants who make up the fugees soccer teams three different age groups, and the chronicling of their coming together under coach luma mufleh. John rammer jammer yellow hammer builds on his 2007 new york times article about the fugees, a soccer program for boys from families of refugees from wartorn nations who have been resettled in the town of clarkston, ga. Working at first with the ymca, she is able to set up soccer programs and secure playing facilities. This book is about a soccer team, but its not about manchester united or real madrid. Luma sees boys of various nationalities playing soccer, and she recognizes both heart and potential. Despite their cultural and religious differences and the difficulty.
Mar 09, 2007 refugees find hope, film deal on soccer field in suburban atlanta, a soccer team made up of young refugees from global hot spots fought city hall for a place to play. The fugees have none of the fancy cleats or embroidered soccer bags common to their. John reported the article, refugees find hostility and hope on soccer field, for the new york times. Luma decided to quit her job, move to clarkston, and start a soccer team that would soon defy the odds. Outcasts united is the story of a refugee soccer team, a remarkable woman coach and a small southern town turned upside down by the process of refugee resettlement. Aug 19, 2014 fugees academy grew out of the acclaimed soccer program for refugee children.
This story is too textured, too filled with layers of light and dark, for hollywood to capture its complexity. A moving account of how a soccer team made up of diverse refugees inspired an entire community here in the united states. The soccer team provides young refugees with an outlet for their energy, a chance for community, and a. How soccer is changing the lives of child refugees at. Refugees find hostility and hope on soccer field the new.
An american town, a refugee team, and one womans quest to make a difference, this young peoples edition is a complex and inspirational story about the fugees, a youth soccer team made up of diverse refugees from. John tells it, the fugees story is something of a radical social. The extraordinary tale of a refugee youth soccer team and the transformation of a small american town clarkston, georgia, was a typical southern town until it was designated a refugee settlement center in the 1990s, becoming the first american home for scores of families in flight from the worlds war zonesfrom liberia and sudan to iraq and afghanistan. Its a story about the challenges posed by our quickly changing world, and one that reminds us of what is possible in this country. Impumelelo the interdisciplinary electronic journal of. Clarkston, georgia is a town of 7,200, situated on slightly over one. An american town, a refugee team, and one womans quest to make a difference, this young peoples edition is a complex and inspirational story about the fugees, a youth soccer team made up of diverse. When refugees receive what they call the golden ticket to the united states, they hope to put their hardships behind them and start a better life. I found myself skipping those paragraphs describing game play and just scanning for the score to see if the fugees won or lost that match. Elsewhere, too, if you run in soccer circles, or if youve read the. This is a highly enjoyable book about the way one immigrant woman, luma mufleh, worked to develop a soccer program for refugee boys in clarkston, georgia. We provide refugee boys and girls, grades 612, with mentorship, structure, and support to help them integrate into their new home.
In january of 2007, new york times reporter warren st. You can read this book or wait for the movie, but the book is worth the effort. It gives more detail about the town and, most particularly, the three soccer teams composed of refugee boys the fugees. Mufleh coach luma to the 80 or so kids from about 30 nations in the soccer club known as the fugees, short for refugees started the sports club in clarkston in 2006 and has since been. Johns book teaches readers about the social and economic difficulties of adapting to a new culture and the challenges facing a town with a new and disparate population. Based on an adult bestseller, this young readers edition is a complex and inspirational story about the fugees, a youth soccer team made up of diverse refugees from around the world, and their formidable female coach, luma mufleh. Soccer team provides distraction for refugees renee montagne talks with reporter warren st.
Coached by fugees founder luma mufleh and current high school fugees, the children play with skill, discipline and passion. The book tells of the many obstacles that this team faced throughout their first two seasons in 2005 and 2006, and how they overcame these. How soccer is changing the lives of child refugees. She learned that these children were refugees from wartorn countries including. How how refugee soccer academy helped turn a young mans life around. Working at first with the ymca, she is able to set up soccer programs and secure. Outcasts united summary from litcharts the creators of. Sep 22, 2010 the author traveled to clarkston to document a story about the fugees, a soccer team founded by luma mufleh, who is a jordanian immigrant, designed specifically for refugee boys living in clarkston. John discovered a youth soccer team called the fugees. An american town, a refugee team, and one womans quest to make a difference, this young peoples edition is a complex and inspirational story about the fugees, a youth soccer. A refugee team, an american town, follows the 2006 season of the fugees, a soccer team for refugee children in a small town just outside atlanta. Apr 14, 2016 when refugees receive what they call the golden ticket to the united states, they hope to put their hardships behind them and start a better life. The fugees story began in 2004 when luma took a wrong turn while driving through the town of clarkston, georgia and noticed a group of boys playing soccer in the street.
This story of luma mufleh, a native of jordan, and the fugees, her soccer teams comprised of boys whose. Today, the school enrolls 100 students from more than twenty countries, helping them thrive as they make the. Soccer is a uniting force at fugees academy atlanta magazine. Their coach is luma mufleh, an americaneducated jordanian woman, who lives in nearby decatur and gets the idea to form the fugees after seeing a group of kids playing an impromptu game of soccer as she is driving. Apr 27, 2009 soccer team provides distraction for refugees renee montagne talks with reporter warren st. Though he is impressed by the team, he senses tension between the players and their coach. Luma decided to quit her job, move to clarkston, and start a soccer team that. Outcasts united is the story of three youth soccer teams, called the fugees, who come from the refugee community in clarkston. The players come from every corner of the world sudan, afghanistan, liberia, kosovo, iraq, and bosnia to name a few. Elsewhere, too, if you run in soccer circles, or if youve read the book about her, or seen her profiled. The fugees founder and coach is luma mufleh, a onetime waitress who ventured into clarkston by chance on a leisurely weekend drive.
It was a compelling account of a group of youth soccer players in a small southern town who came from some of the most warravaged. Afghanistan, bosnia, burundi, congo, gambia, iraq, kosovo, this book is about a soccer team, but its not about. Outcasts united, the story of the fugees soccer team. Fugees family is a 501c3 nonprofit organization devoted to working with child survivors of war. Outcasts united chapters 1 7 summary and analysis gradesaver. Clarkston, georgia, was a typical southern town until it became a refugee resettlement center. Jul 06, 2017 how soccer is changing the lives of child refugees. The author traveled to clarkston to document a story about the fugees, a soccer team founded by luma mufleh, who is a jordanian immigrant, designed specifically for refugee boys living in clarkston. The author explores how the community changed with the influx of refugees and how the dedication of lumah mufleh and the entire fugees soccer team inspired an entire community. May, 2009 see the comments section below for warren st. John wrote about the fugees, a team of soccer playing misfits from a dozen warravaged countries.
Outcasts united stars the fugees, three squads of young players who share two things. It was a compelling account of a group of youth soccer players in a small southern town who came from some of the. The organization empowers refugees to integrate successfully into their new country by providing them the support and structure they need to realize their vast. Teens talk about the hardest part of being a refugee. The fugees program has 86 refugee boys and girls ages 1118 who attend twiceweekly soccer practices, play games on weekends, and participate in tournaments. She learned that these children were refugees from wartorn countries including syria, afghanistan, iraq, bosnia, burma, somalia and sudan. Currently 86 boys and girls, play on one of six fugees soccer teams. John wrote about the fugees, a team of soccerplaying misfits from a dozen warravaged countries. The book tells the story of a youth soccer team, the fugees, made up of boys from families that have been relocated to the atlanta suburb of. Clarkston, georgia, was a typical southern town until it was designated a refugee settlement centre in the. Fugees family has an afterschool tutoring program, a 57student middle school called fugees academy, and ongoing community events like car washes and group meals. Its a tale about resilience, the power of one person to make a difference and the daunting. The book opens on a soccer field in clarkston, georgia, where luma almufleh is coaching a soccer team called the fugees, made up entirely of refugee children. Despite challenges to locate a practice field, minimal funding for uniforms and equipment, and zero fans on the sidelines, the fugees practiced hard and demonstrated a team spirit that drew admiration from referees and competitors alike.
The fugees play a beautiful game of soccer, winning 92. The book focuses on a soccer team called the fugees short for refugees started by a woman named luma mufleh, an immigrant to the united states herself, though from a more privileged background than the refugees she invites onto her team. Outcasts united is the story of a team of refugee boys, the remarkable woman who coaches them, and the town where they live, a oncesleepy southern hamlet that has been upended by the process of refugee resettlement. Jan 02, 2017 the book is a reporting gem by warren st. The organization empowers refugees to integrate successfully into their new country by providing them the support and structure they need to realize their vast potential.
Its a tale about resilience, the power of one person to make a difference and the daunting challenge of creating community in a place where people seem to have little in common. Jan 14, 2014 the book tells the story of a youth soccer team, the fugees, made up of boys from families that have been relocated to the atlanta suburb of clarkston, ga, from wartorn countries around the world. The book tells the story of a youth soccer team, the fugees, made up of. Apr 19, 2009 you can read this book or wait for the movie, but the book is worth the effort. How soccer is changing the lives of child refugees at the. Refugees find hope, film deal on soccer field in suburban atlanta, a soccer team made up of young refugees from global hot spots fought city hall for a.
Muflehs vision began as a soccer team and tutoring program, but has grown to include schools serving high school and middle school students in clarkston, georgia and columbus, ohio. My visit with the fugees in clarkston, georgia just live. Despite their cultural and religious differences and the difficulty of adaptation, the fugees came together to play soccer. Clarkston, georgia, was a typical southern town until it was designated a refugee. Luma mufleh born march 1, 1979 is founder and director of fugees family, inc. Luma, the coach, is an interesting, if not entirely likable character. There is so much soccer in the book that it becomes tedious if you dont know or care about it. Fugees academy grew out of the acclaimed soccer program for refugee children.
The fugees were the only free soccer program in clarkston, however, and membership on the team gave the boys benefits they often could not get elsewhere. John, regarding a soccer program in clarkston, ga, a small town 20 minutes from atlanta. John of the new york times and soccer coach luma mufleh. Outcasts united is the story of a refugee soccer team, their coach and the small town where they live and play. An american town, a refugee team, and one womans quest to make a difference, this young peoples edition is a complex and inspirational story about the fugees, a youth soccer team made up of diverse refugees from around the. John, a new york times writer who embedded himself in clarkston and spent a year watching the fugees perform to growing acclaim and befriending their families, the coach and her players at a tumultuous time. Soccer communication is all english, accelerating their facility with the language of their new home. The author explores how the community changed with the influx of refugees and how the dedication of luma mufleh and the fugees soccer team inspired an entire community. Refugee kids find hope on the soccer field and in the classroom.
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