Last night at the tournament welcome dinner, Street Soccer Seattle’s very own Elena shared some of her Street Soccer Seattle story. We are very proud of Elena’s bravery to share in front of players and supporters, as well as her continued progress towards her goals even amongst obstacles. Take a chance to hear how Street Soccer Seattle has made an impact on Elena’s life.

“Street Soccer is not just a game of soccer, it is way much more than that. It’s a place to grow, a place to make changes. a place to be safe and a place to build a community. When I first joined street soccer Seattle I was homeless and I didn’t have really any much hope in my future. I had never really played any soccer prior to joining Street Soccer Seattle, nor knew much about the game of soccer in itself.

I remember showing up to practice scared and nervous, not sure of what I was getting myself into. Feeling very intimidated when I looked around and saw that it was mostly guys and the skills they had with the ball. Yet still very intimidated I stuck around. And I am proud that I did.

Through Street Soccer I have learned to build a community through my teammates and coaches. I have learned to laugh and trust my coaches as well as my teammates. Street Soccer isn’t just about kicking a ball around on a field and winning the matches that we play. It is about communicating and working together.

I started using Street Soccer as something to look forward to at the end of my week. It gave me hope and a goal to work towards while being homeless. I used Street Soccer to release my stress. Every time I kicked the ball I felt my anger disappear. I learned to laugh and be myself. I learned that Street Soccer was a place to have fun. Through the skills of Look Up, Adjust Your Play and Take the Space, I learned that those skills were not just applied on the field but they were used in my everyday life.

Street Soccer has taught me more then just about soccer it has taught me a lot about myself. My first tournament with my team was to San Francisco, California. When we arrive to San Francisco, California I was very scared and nervous but very surprised at how welcoming everyone was to each other.

I remember the first night where we had dinner together and when a young gal stood up and talked about Street Soccer and the changes it had made in her life. I remember listening and realizing that I could relate to her story. Through out the tournament I met some awesome people, as well as, made some great friends. I realized that everyone was in a similar situation that I was in and that Street Soccer was in fact more than just a game of ball. It was a family inside itself.

Street Soccer has this phrase ‘I Play For’. When I first was asked what I play for, I thought health and hope. If you were to ask me that question now my answer would be for motivation and community. Motivation to change my life, motivation to learn, and continue to build healthy communities, motivation to spread the word around in my community about Street Soccer and what it has to offer and what an impact it has made in my life!”

– Elena (Street Soccer Seattle Player)