Iowa youth soccer game was filled with joy; here’s why

• Dan Seemuth is a former volunteer and current board chair of the Genesis Youth Foundation.

The first question seemed logical: “Who are you here to cheer for?” 

My two adult daughters and I had settled into our camp chairs a little late as the age 12-and-under girls’ soccer game had already begun. It was a beautiful, unseasonably warm late October Sunday, and we were the only spectators sitting on our team’s side of the field. The opposing team’s fans filled their sideline and spilled over a bit onto ours. “We’re here for the team in purple,” I said, assuming the other team’s mom was just being polite. Just then, our team scored a goal and the sideline burst into a raucous, protracted celebration led by some older girls. It was a joy that held more weight than a single goal. 

The next question was a little more pointed: “Do they always celebrate like that?” 

What I hadn’t realized was that our team had already scored a couple of goals in the short time before we arrived. The celebrations only increased as more goals were scored. I didn’t quite know what to say, so I just shrugged. Her question wasn’t negative, more a reflection of mounting frustration. What she couldn’t know is that wins are few and far between for a majority of the kids we came to watch. 

These girls are engaged with the Genesis Youth Foundation, whose mission is to support immigrant and refugee youth and their families by “leveling the playing field” offering educational support, mentoring, leadership training, and extracurriculars in soccer and the arts. As first- or second-generation children of immigrants to central Iowa, many of these kids struggle with the English language and keeping up in school, which can lead to social isolation. Their families typically move frequently in search of job opportunities, family reunification, health needs, and better housing, that can result in chaotic and unstable home lives. Especially for girls, time is often consumed by caring for younger siblings rather than accessing tutoring or extracurriculars like soccer. In short, triumph is a rare commodity. 

Hence the protracted celebrations. Their cheers are magnified by the reality that in many other aspects of their lives, there are significant challenges to overcome and few wins to be had. 

I felt like I should have explained the situation to that mom. It’s a shame if she walked away thinking this team of young, primarily African immigrant girls were poor sports. All they were doing was celebrating each other. Without knowing what I know about Genesis and the challenges these girls face, I may have thought something similar. But because of Genesis, these girls and hundreds of others are provided opportunities to “win” in Iowa by creating pathways for success in education, sports, leadership, and workforce opportunities to help them realize their full potential. 

As the game ended, the two teams met in the middle of the field and shook hands. Someone suggested a group picture, so all the girls got together, mixed up between the all-Black Genesis team and the all-White suburban team. Giggling and smiling, they took their picture. Afterward, the suburban team walked off with their family and friends, and the Genesis group hopped into the 15-passenger van to take them back to their respective homes. The picture, a momentary leveling of the field, captured the true spirit of why these girls celebrate every single win. 

Dan Seemuth is a former volunteer and current board chair of the Genesis Youth Foundation.