A couple of weeks ago, I caught the tail end of a story on NPR about South African filmmaker, Anant Singh and his latest film, More than Just a Game. The film tells the story of political activists, who while incarcerated on Robben Island from the 1960s to the mid 1970s, fought for their right to play soccer and created their own organized league. The film will be released later this year as South Africa prepares to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
    Although I haven’t played much soccer over the years, I took a special interest in this story as I have been playing soccer at least weekly for a few months now. I like to call it a rag tag league because on any given Sunday afternoon the teams are made up of my friends, friends of friends, family members and whoever may wander onto the field. Also setting us apart from any organized league is the fact that many times the nets are missing from the goals and players, who not knowing their own strength, kick the ball into the outer perimeter of the field, have to run and retrieve the ball after each goal.
    Players taking corner kicks also usually have to ask who is on their team as we have yet to come up with any sort of team uniforms and there can be nearly 25 people on the field at a time.
    Despite our large numbers, no one ever sits out and there is no subbing. We count off to determine teams and then the game begins. When it’s not scorching hot outside and everyone is excited to play, the games can be pretty intense. I have the black and blue shins to prove it. At other times the cards seemed stacked against us.
    For example, frequently sunny skies transform into black clouds and pelting rain. We keep playing until the field becomes a slip-and-slide and it is impossible to run without falling. During a recent game, I recall we had to contend with rain and an erratic irrigation system spouting water onto the field. I believe it was during that same game that one of our talented players kicked the ball and sent it sailing over the goal, over our cars and into the road. We watched with mouths agape as the ball first bounced off of a police cruiser and then hit a tractor trailer truck before landing on the other side of the road. Thankfully, there were no accidents and we suspended play to search for the ball in the ditch.
    The more I play soccer, the more I love it. It is a fast paced game that can be played with minimal equipment as our group proves time and time again. Despite not having played much soccer, I always liked the sport and I don’t understand why it isn’t more popular in the U.S. outside of the youth sports community. I doubt David Beckham’s transfer from Manchester United to the Los Angeles Galaxy will do much for the sport in the U.S. and he will likely continue to be more of an interest to celebrity magazines.
    South Africa will be the first nation on the African continent to host a World Cup. I look forward to hearing more stories about South Africans’ passion for the game and the preparations for the big event. Maybe the rest of the world’s enthusiasm will be contagious.