In September, I had the pleasure of hearing author Warren St. John speak at our United Way Campaign Kickoff luncheon.  St. John, a Birmingham native and writer for the New York Times, has garnered recognition in recent years for his first book Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, which entertainingly details the devoted followers of Alabama football.  Based on his first work, I was initially confused as to why the United Way of Central Alabama had plucked him as their keynote speaker, but a table of fresh books at the door signaled that there was a new project to discuss.

Well, I really enjoyed what Warren had to say, and was quite interested in the premise of his new book, Outcasts United.  After a few months, my queue of books cycled through and I was ready to give it shot.  I literally finished it thirty minutes ago, and feel quite strongly that it is a story worth sharing.  At the very least, give the synopsis a read.

Rather than stumble my way through a summary, here is how Warren St. John describes his documentary styled non-fiction:

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.

In the 1990s, that town, Clarkston, Georgia, became a resettlement center for refugees and a modern-day Ellis Island for scores of families from war zones in Liberia, Congo, Sudan, Iraq and Afghanistan. The town also became home to Luma Mufleh, an American-educated Jordanian woman who founded a youth soccer team to help keep Clarkston’s boys off the streets. These boys named themselves the Fugees — short for refugees.  Outcasts United follows a pivotal season in the life of the Fugees, their families and their charismatic coach as they struggle to build new lives in a fading town overwhelmed by change. Theirs is a story about resilience in the face of extraordinary hardship, the power of one person to make a difference and the daunting challenge of creating community in a place where people seem to have so little in common.

This really appealed to me for two reasons.  First of all, I am a soccer fan.  I grew up playing the sport, I pay for those extra channels on Directv, and I’m one of those snobby a-holes who occasionally refers to it as “real football.”  As someone who participated in youth soccer (for a team that is actually mentioned in the book), I certainly appreciate the game and the overwhelming team aspect it promotes.

Secondly, I love the no-frills approach that St. John takes in his writing.  This book is not a fairy tale.  The protagonists and antagonists are people like you and me – fully relatable.  As real life tends to be, the story of these refugees is, more often than not, filled with roadblocks and hardships.  Some of the kids make it.  Others do not.  However, the beauty lies within this inconsequential social experiment: the quintessential, and quite literal, embodiment of our American melting pot.

Everyone serves to learn from the self-sacrifice of Luma (the coach).  We can decry the residents of “Old Clarkston” who must cope with dramatic change in their small town, all the while wondering what we would do.  Lastly, these boys show the world how to embrace diversity and thrive upon it.  With sometimes-unbelievable upbringings, these teenagers from varied nations, religious backgrounds, and languages, work together to make something beautiful.  How can you not love this story?

If you would like to find out more, please visit the web page for Outcasts United.  Additionally, you can help refugee families by making a donation to FugeesFamily.org.

DoGood!

Matt “Chappy” Chapman