BW United Soccer

Refugee children possess talents and dreams just like every other child, but due to their difficult circumstances and background of displacement many of them have not been given the opportunity to develop such interests and talents. PRC believes adolescents’ participation in extra curricular programs is as important for their development as their academic pursuits. However, due to the limited resources and support the refugee adolescents have in comparison to their American peers, their talents may go undiscovered.

Soccer is a sport which is practiced and loved by the countries which the refugee populations represent. Many of the refugee kids were used to playing soccer in their native countries and refugee camps. Unfortunately, upon their arrival to the United States, many refugee children remain absent in after-school activities. Many sports require a participation fee that families cannot afford, in addition to expensive equipment like cleats, shin guards and uniforms. Transportation to and from practices is nearly impossible for many students, as most parents do not own personal methods of transportation. Finally, the enrollment process for sports (physicals, consents, etc) is often confusing for parents who cannot read or speak English. Tragically, the result of these barriers is the absence of many refugee children in extra-curricular activities.

PRC started the BW United soccer team as a collaborative project with Harrison Middle School of the Baldwin-Whitehall School District to provide refugee children and other ESL students the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities by overcoming the barriers to participation that otherwise prohibits the children’s participation in after-school activities.

In the inaugural season in 2009, BW United had 27 players from over 15 different countries. In 2010, the team grew to over 45 players from 16 different countries, including: Burma, Somalia, Burundi, Bhutan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia, Zambia, Gambia, Bosnia, Vietnam, Serbia, Albania, the Former USSR and Sudan.

Paul Child, former soccer player inducted in the Hall of Fame in England, is BW United’s coach. Paul and the other BW United coaches, Bill Abraham and Edward Child, found the 2009 season so rewarding that they returned for the 2010 season. With Paul’s help, PRC received a large donation from the soccer equipment provider, Umbro, supplying the team with practice tees, shin guards, soccer balls and socks for the 2010 season.

PRC would like to extend our greatest thanks to those who have made this project possible: Baldwin-Whitehall School District, Coach Paul Child, Umbro, Edward Child and Bill Abraham. We would also like to thank the teams and players that played against BW United, including: Steel Valley, Woodland Hills, West Mifflin, Pittsburgh Dynamo and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Finally, we would like to thank PRC staff, volunteers, and supporters for their continued commitment to refugees.