The true story of an allrefugee soccer team coached by a resilient jordanian who. 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. Luma mufleh is a young jordanian woman from a family of privilege. 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. 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. This story of luma mufleh, a native of jordan, and the fugees, her soccer.
The character of luma almufleh in outcasts united from. In 2004, coach luma mufleh started a fugees team to provide refugee boys with free access to organized soccer. The story unfolds by introducing readers to luma mufleh, a jordanian woman driven to make a life for herself in the usa while missing the family that disapproves of her new home. The story of a refugee soccer team that changed a town. Luma decided to quit her job, move to clarkston, and start a soccer team that. Despite their cultural and religious differences and the difficulty of adaptation, the fugees came together to play soccer. Elsewhere, too, if you run in soccer circles, or if youve read the.
Soccer team provides distraction for refugees renee montagne talks with reporter warren st. 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. The town also became home to luma mufleh, an americaneducated jordanian woman. John of the new york times and soccer coach luma mufleh. 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. Luma mufleh is the inspirational ceo and founding director of fugees family, inc. Luma then discovers the refugee population in clarkston and decides to start a soccer program for refugee boys. The fugees program serves refugee boys and girls ages 1118 who attend twiceweekly soccer practices, play games on weekends and participate in tournaments. The members of the fugees were refugees from all over the globe, rescued by the uns high commission for refugees, living together in a crimeriddled settlement center in clarkston, ga. Fugees soccer coach brings refugee crisis discussion to. Outcasts united summary from litcharts the creators of. 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.
How soccer is changing the lives of child refugees at. Luma mufleh, a jordanianborn graduate of smith college, grew up in. Luma, the coach, is an interesting, if not entirely likable character. 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. Outcasts united chapters 1 7 summary and analysis gradesaver. The players on this team come from 28 wartorn countries, including afghanistan, iraq, bosnia, congo, somalia and sudan. The fugees have none of the fancy cleats or embroidered soccer bags common to. When luma started coaching soccer, she used coach browns methods of strict rules and a lot of running and drills, which led her teams to be successful and disciplined. Contact all american speakers bureau to inquire about speaking fees and availability, and book the best keynote speaker for your next event. A lifelong social entrepreneur, luma mufleh is the inspirational ceo and founding director of fugees family, inc. The fugees play a beautiful game of soccer, winning 92.
The roots of the fugees academy, today a school with 76 refugee students in grades 712, are decidedly on the soccer field. For readers who followed enriques journey, outcasts united is another equally moving account of refugees finding a new life in the u. Soccer is a uniting force at fugees academy atlanta magazine. Outcasts united the story of the fugees, a soccer team of refugee children from a small town in georgia at first look seems to have all the makings of a disney movie. 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. She studies in the united states, but her father disowns her when she decides not to return to her homeland.
There is so much soccer in the book that it becomes tedious if you dont know or care about it. Luma sees boys of various nationalities playing soccer, and she recognizes both heart and potential. 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. A road trip into the heart of fan mania tells the tale of the fugees soccer team and their enigmatic coach, luma mufleh. In the first half, the cobb ymca strikers scored 2 points on the fugees. The story of a refugee soccer team that changed a town by warren st. 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. 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.
Luma mufleh is the inspirational coach of a soccer team called the fugeesshort for refugees. 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. Since then, the organizations programming has grown to include yearround soccer for 86 boys and girls aged 1018, afterschool tutoring, soccer for 50 elementaryaged students, an academic enrichment summer camp, and the fugees. She learned that these children were refugees from wartorn countries including syria, afghanistan, iraq, bosnia, burma, somalia and sudan.
Clarkston, georgia, was a typical southern town until it became a refugee resettlement center. The fugees, 9 to 17 years old, play on three teams divided by age. John tells it, the fugees story is something of a radical social. The book tells the story of a youth soccer team, the fugees, made up of boys from. Despite their cultural and religious differences and the difficulty. Their story is about children with miserable pasts trying to make good with strangers in a. Fugees family is a 501c3 nonprofit organization devoted to working with child survivors of war. Refugees find hostility and hope on soccer field the new. Luma decided to quit her job, move to clarkston, and start a soccer team that would soon defy the odds. Luma mufleh, decided to unite the kids of the town and start a soccer team. Luma mufleh, a young jordanian woman educated in the united states and working as a coach for private youth soccer. Anyway, im sure you can tell from the title that this book is also more than just a soccer book.
The fugees were being happy and playful, but luma warned them to focus. An american town, a refugee team, and one womans quest to. Luma also became a role model and mentor to the fugees, who perhaps will grow up to be coaches, leaders, and teachers themselves using similar methods. Soccer is the one thing thats very familiar to them, says luma mufleh, founder of fugees family. Luma called the team to her and asked them harshly why the other team was winning, calling the players a bunch of. 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. In outcasts united, an adaptation of his adult book about the fugee team family, new york times reporter warren st. After struggling to support herself without her familys money, she takes a job coaching youth soccer programs in atlanta. 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 world, and their formidable female coach, luma mufleh. Luma mufleh born march 1, 1979 is founder and director of fugees family, inc. She has a personal code to teach soccer during practice and simply let. 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. Its about identity and acceptance, and a great book for any soccerloving kid.
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. The fugees are in the lead 31 at halftime, but coach luma is still not satisfied. Luma mufleh is founder and director of fugees family, inc. Though he is impressed by the team, he senses tension between the players and their coach. Its a book about resilience in the face of extraordinary hardship, the power of one. How soccer is changing the lives of child refugees. Luma is hard on her players and expects a lot from them. Outcasts united chapters 24 28 and epilogue summary and. Luma mufleh speakers bureau and booking agent info.
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