N4L 067: "One Goal" by Amy Bass

Emmy-award winning sportswriter Amy Bass shares One Goal, the story of a high-school soccer team uniting the racially divided town of Lewiston, Maine. With many Somali refugees on the roster, this underdog team wins not one but two state championships! But to reach that level, both the team and the town have to flex in order to accommodate and embrace new talents, skills, religion, passion, and soccer styles. In the process, we see A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together. 00:15   Intro to Amy Bass, author and sportswriter 01:20   Multiple meanings of the title, “One Goal” 02:30   Bass has a personal connection to the town of Lewiston, Maine 03:30   She spends four undergraduate years at Bates College in Lewiston, unaware of the middle school across the street 04:45   At the beginning of the 21st century, Somali refugees slowly begin populating the town 05:10   The influx causes every group in town to face certain fears 05:55   The Somali diaspora includes some of today's 60 million displaced people 06:25   Demographic changes create fears about differences 07:00   Even the school cafeteria accommodates new diets 07:30   Refugees represent a particular kind of immigrant 08:30   Some immigrant stories about assimilation; this is a story of negotiation 08:50   Coach McGraw emphasizes the “advantage of the ball” and putting the game first 09:05   The very nature of the game enables everyone to work out dissimilarities, aiming for "one goal" 09:40   Tolerating vs. embracing differences 10:15   Lewiston team capitalizes on variations in how to play, talents, passion 10:30   Leveraging competitive advantages often creates the most successful teams 11:30   McGraw flexes to meet challenges 12:00   Team members’ challenges include PTSD, poverty, confusion, isolation, instability 13:00   Coach Mike McGraw, a legend in Lewiston, is a combo of both heart and head 14:45   While the players understand their parents’ sacrifices, they also want to win soccer games 15:55   Ironic forgetfulness pervasive among Quebecois immigrants, now long-settled in Lewiston 17:00   Somali refugees pour into Lewiston in an unplanned way 18:45   Coach McGraw deals with players' torn loyalties (between team and family) 20:00   Partnership of team is also a partnership with community = one goal 21:20   Understanding Islam; respecting Ramadan and commitment to daily prayers 22:10   Athletic Director Jason Fuller sets the bar high to accommodate athletes 23:10   Dealing with signing permission slips, getting physicals 24:00   All players learn team cheer (in Arabic and Swahili) 25:00   “Direct Soccer” (AKA “boot and scoot” or “kick and chase”) 25:50   “Possession Game” (played in Kenyan refugee camps) a sophisticated, unselfish style 27:00   Lewiston team just wins its third state championship! 27:30   Four players all help score the final goal (thanks to Lewiston Sun Journal) 28:55   “Soccer first” 29:05   U.S. only second only to China in kids participating in soccer 30:20   Sports are never just about sports; they involve many community members 31:30   Community is work! 32:30   Last-minute postscript includes the 2016 state-championship victory 34:45   Netflix owns movie rights to One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together 35:45: Recommendation: www.JustServe.org (volunteer website) BUY One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together Find volunteer opportunities at JustServe.org! Connect with Nonfiction4Life: Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube  Website Special thanks… Music Credit Sound Editing Credit