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IB NEWS REFUGEE SOCCER TEAM PLAYS WITH JOY AND GRIT KITCHENER-WATERLOO HAS THE NATION'S LARGEST SETTLEMENT OF PERSECUTED ROHINGYA JEFF OUTHIT jouthit@therecord.com €Z0z ‘Le snBny ‘Aepsuny, | efouosyy oopeyena | 2 There's a tap then another tap to scoot the ball from player to player, quickly When Safi Ullah was a kid playing bare- foot in a distant refugee camp, sometimes the only thing his pals could find to kick around was an eggplant wrapped in plas- . tic. It fell apart fast. Mathew McCarthy photos Thisis not that. Thisisarealsoccer ball _Left:Team founder Saifullah Muhammad takes a team photo during practice with Rohingya FC at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute. Right Omear on a real field, used by a real team ith Chowdhury, left, Rasel Mohammed, and Sayed Ullah share a laughduring practice with Rohingya FC at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute. cleats and uniforms and a coach. What not changed is that Ullah is still practising people are persecuted as a aaa minor. to showcase the community. The team struggled last year but found the beautiful game, only now it is for the __ ity. It's estimated 1 million have ha "That was the main purpose, to bring __ its groove this season, winning the second Rohingya Football Club. to Bangladesh or Malaysia or: Seahore to awareness and also to bring out ‘the skillof division of the Kitchener and District Soc- lah, 28, plays on the amateur men's __ languish in refugee camps. the Rohingya people, so that wecancome cer League. Next year it hopes to compete team alongside his brother, Reza Ullah, 25. The biggest Canadian settlement of out together and show peoplethattheRoh- against the best amateur teams by advanc- Teammates include Rasel Mohammed, 22, Rohingya refugees is in Kitchener-Water- ingya community is doing something _ ing to the top divi: and others who are also Rohingya. loo where it's estimated 650 reside. Thesoc- good," said Saifullah Muhammad, a soccer Thereare afowr reasons for this success, In their homeland within Myanmar, certeam(whichhassome players whoare fan and managing director of the Kitche- formerly known as Burma, the Rohingya not Rohingya) wasfoundedafew yearsago _ner-based Rohingya Centre of Canada. See ‘IT’S’, page 8 Weekly Specials St.Marys 3 CA aa AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2028 Fresh Back Ribs $6.99Ib Reg $8.991b $15.41kg Reg $19.82kg Fresh Roasting Chicken SICK) AI $3, 691b Reg. $4.201b EXYOCC) Cem OOKE $8.13kg Reg. $9.25kg Frozen Chicken Fritters $15.99ea Reg. $17.49ea Frozen Breaded Chicken Strips $17.99ea Reg. $20.99ea Assorted Deli Sliced Meats See in Store for Details! Double Up Mondays!! Seniors’ Wednesday ‘ iil ec no ip 5+) ry Wedr PT AND BIKE }.§ Register to help raise funds St. Mary’s General Hospital. hike4heart.ca 3031 Lobsinger Line, H Jelb Mon - Thur 9 am - 6 pm; 9am oy om bo) 19-699-45 ceT @) 5pm Sat 7:30 am - STEMMLERMEATS.CA | Only the best from our family to yours! '9]9|UOIYDOOLLE}2M