Club Chair Dave Sarley and his son Dominic just completed a five week visit to South Africa and Zimbabwe as part of a combined World Cup and work trip.

Dave had been first to volunteer to cover for a  colleague who was taking home leave from John Snow Inc.’s Harare office this summer. Spending two weeks, to watch five games, driving 2,000 km, visiting a game park, two Zulu war battlefields and a township shabeen as well as taking a 140KM zip line were highlights in South Africa. As big a highlight in Zimbabwe was the chance to share U17 player George Windle’s collection of soccer shirts with the Mbare girls team. George had outgrown his shirts collected from as far afield as Peru, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, Annandale and DC Stoddert.

Dave and Dominic carried them to Zimbabwe where they teamed up with the Mbare girls who are supported by local charity Oasis with funding from the Children First Project.

The whoops of delight as the shirts were pulled out of the kit bag turned to screams as team captain "Figo" (juggling ball in photo, below right) took possession of a Figo Portuguese shirt. The team trains twice a day and plays on a local dust field competing with other local girls teams. DC Stoddert is arranging for a spare set of recreational uniforms to be sent to the team along with some balls and bags.                                            

Spare shirts will also be sent to a local orphanage - more pictures and an update once that equipment is delivered.

                                                                                            Photo: Captain Figo juggling team ball.

Article and photos by David Sarley, Chair, DC Stoddert Soccer

posted by MCL 8/4/2010 updated 9/10/10