Day 2 of the Tournament

On New Years Day we continued the tournament. Saying it was a success would be a great understatement.

Off to Markala

In Markala i met a few more Malians and was bestowed with my Malian name - Seydou

Stade

Several of us, including Yacouba's sons, and some players from the winning teams from the New Years Tournament attended a professional football match. For many of them, it was the first match that they had been to.

The Crew

The is the Little Eagles winter 2011 group in order: African Sky Founder Scott Lacy, Myself, and Project Director Sekou Kante

Holy S%**, I'm in Africa!

The title says it all

Back in Bamako!

Hey All!

Just wanted to check in really quickly to let you know that we're back in Bamako safe and sound. There's so much to report on about the last few days - an awesome tourney (despite a few speed bumps) and a HUGE surprise addition to the programs Little Eagles will offer. But our day isn't over yet, so I'll write more tonight!

-S

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Kickin' it

Just to prove that I literally eat, sleep and breathe soccer – apparently in my sleep last night, I started calling out, “Coach! Coach! Coach!”


Neighborhood kids
One thing that’s cool about Mali, is that people love to hang around and just chill and chat. And that’s exactly what we did today. I slept in this morning while Scott went to a meeting with Peace Corps members, and then went with him to hang out at Yacouba’s house. We had lunch, rice with peanut sauce, which was exactly what I needed to get back on track with my stomach after the Chinese food debacle. (“It will give you strength,” Yacouba informed me before I ate. And he was right. Plus, it was delicious. Mali is quickly going to become my new comfort food).


The wall says "50 cent clan"
Then we just sat outside and watched TV and a DVD containing a slideshow of Scott’s previous trips to Mali. A number of kids watched with us, and took great pleasure in excitedly pointing out themselves and their friends and family when they showed up on the screen. Before we left to head back to the hotel, Sekou and I kicked around with a few neighborhood kids on Yacouba’s street. (All across the streets in Bamako, “crews” write their names on walls with spray paint. They’re usually in English, with slightly off names – e.g. 50 cent clan, the gorgeous boys.) It was great to finally get to kick a ball around after watching from the sideline. We played keep away, and a lot of the other neighborhood kids came to watch. We were all covered in dust from the street by the time we finished.

When Scott and I got back to the hotel, we went downstairs with Drew to a fast food joint we usually buy water from. I ate an AWESOME shredded chicken sandwich with onions and French fries stuffed into delicious bread. I don’t know why, but it was one of the best things I’ve ever had…and it was 2 bucks. I love Mali.

The kids are so much fun to hang around
Tomorrow we’re off to Dissan, where we’ll be hosting our second Little Eagles tournament. Insha’Allah, it will go as well as the first, if not better. I’ll be without internet until Tuesday, so I’ll check back in as soon as we get back.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the new videos I’ve posted of the Bamako tourney.

Over and out.

 -S
Getting schooled in street football

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Stade

It figures that it would be the Chinese food that would do me in.

The Stadium
I went to bed early after feeling a bit under the weather and woke up feeling the same way, so I decided to stay at the hotel and rest while Drew and Scott went to the market. Sekou picked up all the gear we would need for the Dissan trip, and when they got back, we head out for the Stade Modibo Keita. Joining us were Yacouba’s two sons, 4 of their friends, and 3 players from each team that played in the tournament, and their coaches. Many of the players wore their new jerseys, and all of the coaches sported their Little Eagles jerseys. It cost us less than $50 to treat about 30 people to the game, many of whom had never been to a professional game before.

Little Eagles players in the Crowd
The match was between Jeanne D’Arc and Stade Malien, the current title holders of the Malien Premier Division. The kids from Yacouba’s neighborhood were giddily excited, all wearing big smiles on their faces. We met Sekou at the gate, who arrived with all of the players and coaches. The stadium itself was had a really cool design, and was overlooked by high cliffs, which some spectators watched from.

The game itself was highly entertaining, and it was great to be able to bring the kids to see the best team in the country. Midway through the first half, Stade scored from a deflected shot, sending the crowd into a frenzy. 

The kids all went nuts! Only minutes from full time, Stade added another, and the kids danced around and cheered.

It was a great day out and a really special event for the kids we took to the game!

-Seydou

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Off to Markala

We were up at 7:45 am to head out on our first excursion outside of Bamako. We met the driver, Solo, downstairs, and picked up Yacouba, who’s wife provided us with some delicious egg sandwiches. On the 4 hour drive (which normally takes 6-9 hours), we saw some varying landscapes, from huge ranges of farmland to seemingly endless miles of dirt with scattered trees. We passed by many small villages and markets, scattered along the only highway in this direction. We even got to see two men riding camels. I dozed in and out for most of the trip, catching up on some much needed sleep.

Drew and I with Tamba and his friend Karamoko
When we arrived in Markala, we reached another milestone of our trip – Drew and I were given our Mali names, which Scott and Yacouba had discussed on the trip. As I’ve been mistaken as a
brother of Scott on numerous occasions during the trip, it was only fitting that I was given the name of his Malian younger brother, Seydou Sangare. I’m honored by this name (not to mention that it’s the same first name as Mali born Barcelona superstar Seydou Keita).

We spent the rest of the day/evening at Tamba Traore’s house (Drew’s namesake). Tamba is an English teacher at a well known high school in Markala (the current president of the country went there). We at dinner (fish and rice), talked about what Malian schools were like, discussed the problems with soccer in Mali, watched his kids play, and relaxed. It was was a nice change of pace from the hectic schedule of the previous two days. People stopped by to say hello to Scott, many of whom were members of a women’s program that Scott helped start to promote literacy. Before we went to bed, Scott, Tamba, and I walked Tamba’s friend back to his house a short ways away. It was a perfect night, and during the walk, Scott explained to me some more about my name.
Google Maps doesn't work as well here

The next day, we had breakfast (egg sandwich) and went to visit Tamba’s school. Scott discussed how to bring wifi (weefee) to the school with a group of teachers and administrators before we were showed an English classroom. The students had good English skills, and were given the chance to ask us questions. Once they had heard that I played soccer, the questions came flying in – What position do you play? What team do I play for? (I jokingly told them AC Milan becauseone of the students had a jersey on, and a few of their faces dropped in surprise before they realized that I was kidding). When asked how I liked Markala, I told them that I loved the city, that the people were very generous and kind, and that I hoped to return soon to play football there. The class clapped and cheered.

While getting back into the car, I talked to Scott and Tamba about the possibility of coming to teach/tutor English, even if it was for a week/month. The students seemed really cool, and I would love to come back and work with them. We stopped at a couple of family houses to visit briefly before heading to a village called Soumabougou just outside of Markala. (At one of the family houses, a boy who played goalie took a liking to me when he learned that I played soccer, and I joked about scoring on him.) It was situated on the edge of the Niger River, and was primarily a fishing village. This will be one of the sites of the new African Sky schools. The kids here were awesome and super friendly, and I wish we had had more time there. Drew took measurements around a soccer pitch a few hundred yards outside of the village and found the perfect location for the school, while Scott and some other took soil samples. I hung around with our driver and the kids.

FORZA MILAN!
On the way back to Markala, we stopped by a village with a Peace Corps volunteer so that Scott could meet her and offer assistance if she needed it. We drove back to Tamba’s, had lunch, and said our goodbyes. Despite having met them only 24 hours before, it was an emotional goodbye. The boy I met earlier who played soccer even came by to see us off. Our trip back took about 5 hours this time, and after going out for some Chinese food, we called it a day.
I must have said this in every travel journal I’ve kept – As soon as I get comfortable somewhere, it’s time to leave.
-Seydou

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The Grand Finale

The New Year got off to a perfect start with the conclusion of the New Year’s Tournament in Bamako. As soon as we got up (around 11am), we gathered the gear and left for Yacouba’s, who, shortly upon our arrival, served lunch. We ate spaghetti (cut in inch long strands), prepared with tomatoes and bits of beef. (If I haven’t described how we eat before, the men sit around a communal bowl, and we each ball up chunks of the food with our right hand.) Drew and I then took a cab to Sekou’s neighborhood, where the 3rd place game was just about ready to kick off.

FC Inter and FC Morino line up before kickoff
I learned from Sekou that the team names were FC Inter, who, appropriately, donned Inter Milan jerseys (they were one of the red teams that lost yesterday), and FC Morino, who wore the red jerseys they received yesterday. I was a little worried about the turnout for the first match compared to yesterday, but the lower attendance numbers didn’t affect the quality and heart of the teams in the least.

There were still about 100 spectators on hand to witness Inter grab a halftime lead when, about 20 minutes into the game, they were able to capitalize on a ball that bounced around players inside the box. A striker in blue and black managed to deflect the ball in, and they fended off FC Morino through the halftime whistle.

Inter also provided the only goal in the second half, when a player nicknamed Balotelli (for his Mohawk style buzz cut) drove in a hard, low shot, which deflected off of a Morino defender and fell right in the path of an unmarked striker. Without hesitation, it was placed beyond the keeper’s reach, securing 3rd place for Inter.
Free Kicks can be scary
By the time the first match ended, more and more people began to show up to join their family, friends, and neighbors all around the sideline. The two title contenders were warming up off to the side of the pitch. (I’m not sure if I mentioned this, but the “pitch” was a relatively flat, open area where a few different dirt streets met. Family compounds and vendors closed in the area, except where the streets branched off. Spectators sat on the sidelines, behind the goals, and a few even watched from the roofs of the surrounding buildings. Every so often, cars or motorbikes – even goats – came through the pitch, but rarely halted play. There was little hope of interrupting this match, and the players adapted to the environment to avoid getting hit.) Before the match began, the teams lined up for pictures (there was even a photographer who shows up to big events and sells pictures of the day), and I was introduced to each player by their captains as I walked down the line. This had the feel of a World Cup final, and it certainly mirrored the authenticity of one. Two linesmen were even found so that all the right calls were made in the final.

The atmosphere was electric! By the time the game was underway, there were hundreds of supporters. The prizes of notebooks, pens, pencils, and soccer socks were displayed on an end line table. Sekou even graciously donated a trophy he had won to give the champions. For two groups of 10-14 year olds, an age group who rarely gets much attention (never mind are the highlight of the holiday), this couldn’t get any bigger. I was invited out for another honorary kickoff, and the big match was finally underway!


Pagou Foot (in purple jerseys) vs. FC Madou (wearing blue)
Pagou Foot, who train at a local soccer school (a place where kids train during school vacation) got off to the better start when they were given a close range free kick. Mirroring a shot from yesterday’s semi final, the kick taker lined up a low, devastating shot to the side of the assembled wall and beating the keeper, sparking emphatic cheers from the crowd. As the scorer ran to the corner to celebrate, kids chased and grabbed on to him in excitement. Both teams defended brilliantly, but towards the end of the first half, Pagou added a second. Winning another free kick after a player was tripped while beating the defender with an impressive, successful juke on the end line to the right of the goal. A well planned and executed run from the Pagou Foot attacker gave him enough free space to rip a one-time shot into the net from the pass off the free kick. 2-0, and more cheers from the supporters of the boys in purple.


Before halftime, FC Madou managed to cut the lead in half. A blue attacker received a throw in near midfield and took a couple of touches before launching a shot, my candidate for goal of the tournament. The strike came from far out, and time slowed for me on the opposite side of the field, as the ball went like a laser directly into the top left corner with professional accuracy. The outstretched purple keeper was left helpless as the ball flew past his fingertips. The goal got me so excited that I couldn’t even operate my camera well enough to capture the celebration.

At halftime, the score line read:
Paugou Foot 2 – FC Madou 1

Dozens of kids surrounded the teams at halftime to listen in on the coaches give their orders. Soon enough, the second half was underway. Once again, Pagou came out strong, piling on pressure and finding space for numerous shots. One of these shots produced an incredible low save, but a purple striker was the first to pounce on the rebound, re-establishing a two goal lead. It was only two minutes later when another rebound save bounced around the box, eventually finding the foot of a Pagou attacker. 4-1.

Despite being down by 3 goals, Morino showed great heart to attempt the comeback. Pagou desperately defended as wave after wave of attacks came at the purple goal, many of which narrowly missed. Against the run of play, Pagou Foot secured the title with a counter, scoring their fifth. The scorer ran the length of the field, pointing at his coach, and with a giant leap, embraced him in a huge hug. Both teams left all they had on the pitch for a highly entertaining match, but there could only be one champion.

The final whistle blew, cueing the celebrations and a massive pitch invasion, with the players being hoisted in the air triumphantly and carried to the awards table, which was engulfed by a horde of fans. The Pagou supporters were chanting and singing, led by one of the goal scorers.




To the Winners go the spoils
One by one, each captain came up to accept the prizes of notebooks, pens, and pencils, and each coach received a Little Eagles jersey. Then, the champions came up individually (like the Champs League or any major final) and in addition to the school supplies, were also given a pair of soccer socks (courtesy of the Cheshire High School team). When it was time for the captain, last in line, he walked up to more chants from the crowd. He accepted the trophy (which I got to present), holding it high above his head, and was bombarded by teammates and fans, who followed him, cheering, to their coach’s family compound nearby to continue the celebrations. I heard later that the team paraded around the neighborhood, singing and chanting, stopping at each house to accept gifts of food and change. What a huge day for these champions!

I’m not sure that I’ve ever experienced a more powerful, positive wave of emotion than I did during that final. Countless times, I had to fight back the tears caused from the scene unfolding before my eyes. I was so moved that I was speechless during the whole 20 minute taxi ride back to the hotel.

After resting a bit at the hotel, Drew, Scott and I met up with Sekou and went to an “American” restaurant a short walk away. I had a shredded chicken sandwich (stuffed in really delicious bread) and pineapple juice while we discussed the day. (The restaurant was inspired by the owner living part of each year in Harlem, and makes hamburgers and pizza.) It was hopping with 20 somethings who make it a regular stop on their rounds during nights out. We talked about how well everything went and how happy we were.

Inspired by Pagou Foot’s soccer school, we began talks about creating one of our own. Ours, however, would also include education and an all year round program. Essentially, we would be providing kids with a high quality education and soccer training. Big stuff. Scott also talked to me about the huge impact that this tournament had on the neighborhood - from gathering the community together, giving the neighborhood something to be proud of hosting, highlighting youth players instead of older ones, and even providing some income for the photographers and other vendors near the pitch.

What a massive day! I can’t thank everyone enough for all the help and support I’ve received on this project. Because of you, I accomplished my dream of the last 5 years today!

-R

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Catching up - New Year's Eve wrap up

Toumani Diabate’s was a blast for New Year’s eve. Sekou and Yacouba joined us for an unforgettable night of wonderful music. This was another upscale place, and the crowd consisted of many non-Africans. One of these patrons was an interesting fellow who went by the name of Joe. He was wearing a three piece tan suit, hand his longish hair tied up in a bun behind his head, and wore about 8 gold rings and numerous gold bracelets. He approached our table and said something to me, inaudible over the music. I looked at Scott, who Joe turned to and Scott said, “Talk to him in English”. “I am,” he replied, a little confused. I was getting so used to being talked to in French or Bambara that it didn’t even occur to me that I might be able to understand him. Turns out he was from Greenwich, CT and had a band with Mali musicians. He also had some connection with One World Football, and organization that makes indestructible soccer balls, and said that he would get me a couple to try out. He even got on stage at one point (some of the members of his band were playing with Diabate) and played his harmonica over the African drummers.

Diabate’s group went on at about 2am. There were two opening groups (the first of which had a gorgeous singer), the second of which was on for the start of the New Year. When the song they were playing at midnight finished, the owner got up on stage to say a few words. We said happy new year to each other and fireworks were being set off outside. The cool thing about the music was that singers and musicians would just come on stage at any time. One women went up for one song and started rapping, which was awesome (not to mention it was totally unexpected).

By the time Diabate stepped up to the stage, there were close to a dozen musicians, numerous singers that would trade off on the mic, and 2 guys who danced to every song. With Toumani ripping on the kora and an incredible talking drum player, they brought down the house. It didn’t take long before most of the crowd was on the dance floor. Even Drew couldn’t resist the soul shaking beats and got up there. At one point, a television camera came to us, and interviewed Scott. Turns out we were on the national news channel. We all had a great time and didn’t end up leaving until about 4 am. Scott and I were still up to see the ball in NYC drop (5 am Bamako time).

Once again, Happy New Year to all of the friends of Little Eagles!

-R

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Happy New Years

I just want to say that the last two days have brought me some of the best experiences of my life! Unfortunately for the sake of keeping up with this blog (not for me though - it'll be a nice break after the craziness of the past 48 hours, even though there's plenty of work to be done), we're on the road to Markala early tomorrow morning, and I will be without internet until Tuesday evening. However, I have about a 6 hour road trip ahead of me tomorrow, so I will have plenty of time to write an extensive summary of the conclusion of the tournament. Suffice to say that it was a historic moment for the Little Eagles project, and it couldn't have gone any better, which I owe to Sekou's hard work in organizing it. I promise a huge post on Tuesday, so look for that. Check out the pics from the day here.


Catch you on the flip side

-R

P.S. I have a really special video that will show just how much this game meant to these kids. It's amazing and I'll get it up when I get home. There are a few new videos from earlier on in the trip on our youtube page.


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