North Philadelphia: Immigrants Find Common Ground On The Soccer Pitch

Ismalia Saka clears the ball during an Electrons soccer game.
Ben Franklin soccer coach Rob Moore instructs his team during a game.
Ben Franklin soccer coach Rob Moore instructs his team during a game.

The Ben Franklin High School’s boy’s soccer team took the field at 29th and Chalmers and put on an impressive display, defeating Bodine High School 11-5.

By the way the Franklin Electrons moved, one would think the players have been together for several years.

Try a few months.

Coach Rob Moore also runs the Newcomer Learning Academy, a program that helps immigrants find their footing in a new setting.

“Every kid is new to this country and they’re all from different countries, so they’re all feeling the same thing,” Moore said. “They’re all coming here, not knowing anybody except for family members. Every kid here has that to bond over and it’s the fact that ‘I’m in a new place.’”

Ismalia Saka clears the ball during an Electrons soccer game.
Ismalia Saka clears the ball during an Electrons soccer game.

Moore knows how his out-of-place his players may feel, as he felt the same way during his childhood.

“When I was in ninth grade, I moved to Kenya with my mom and I was all alone,” Moore said. “There was no New Learning Academy. I was the only American kid in the entire school. There’s only two other white kids who were the headmaster’s children from Britain.”

Mamadou Sall, who scored two goals for the Electrons, is still adapting to his new surroundings but soccer is something that helps the team bond over differences.

“It’s tough to be away from you home,” Sall said. “But soccer gives us an opportunity to bond.”

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