It's Simply in My Blood, and Always Has Been. I Am Always Cheering and Rooting for the Underdogs, Wanting Only the Best for Them. I Love to Believe in Hope.

To be honest, Bassick High School was not necessarily an underdog, as they have incredible athletes, phenomenal coaches, and enough heart to cure all the ills in the world. They played, however, a team from Madison, Connecticut. For context, the median. family income in Madison is close to $120,000. In Bridgeport, that median is closer to $25,000. The districts serve completely different populations, so going into last night's game, I couldn't help but see the international beauty of the Bassick Lions, representing multiple nations of the world, and beginning their learning of English and a belief in the American Dream, whereas the Daniel Hand High School team represented many who have had that dream for a very, very long time. As I said to Edem, "Is it me, or do these parents look like they are heading out to their yachts after the game?" Sweaters rolled over their shoulders, boat shows, pastels of pink, yellow, and light green. They looked like human Easter eggs.

He said, "Well, when American families can spend thousands of dollars on young children to be in summer leagues, traveling teams, and the best gyms, it is hard to compete with them. These boys are well trained."

Edem graduated a year before Abu and Lossine, so I spent many nights in the stands cheering on the Nottingham Bulldogs in Syracuse. Different state. Same circumstances. I remember on parent nights, I was one of the few adults in the stands. Most parents had little chance to take time off from work to see their kids play, even when they were winning and being celebrated. This is an American reality.

Bassick scored first. They have a player that I was told about...one Edem said, "That kid can go to any Division I or right to the leagues." He had a sweet goal, and for the rest of the game moved the ball in miraculous ways. It wasn't enough, though, as the other team's defense was strong, and Bassick had a freshman goalie. He saved a lot, but he was young against the team who took multiple shots.

My Connecticut life begins with Bassick High School as I spent most of my early years writing grants with administrators and working with kids and teachers in the school. I'm fortunate, too, because I work with many of the kids through Ubuntu Academy, Writing Our Lives conferences, and with the college essay workshops each year through CAP. In the stands, many faces of young people I worked with over the years came to cheer on the lions and it was great reuniting and catching up with them.

I'm not pretending to know anything about soccer, except for what the boys have taught me, including Edem...I know World Cup is approaching fast, and I remember that during my research, life paused for games...always. It was a religion. I was indoctrinated by their love, and I also get the game for that passion (even if I still am more fanatic about college basketball). 

Dang...Edem is 30. The twins are 30. It's sort of crazy to think about how fast time flies by and how, different school in a different state, the same dynamics exist. Daniel Hand played well. Their defense was great and they had a few decent shots on offense, hence they won the game.

I suppose, though, that is what should be expected given the resources that are available to them. For me? Give me the 1st-generation kids...the ones with nets and cheers on their radar, working their tails off to make a name for themselves in the United States. Higher Education likes to throw around the words grit, hard work, perseverance, devotion, goals, and practice, but the truth is we don't really measure how much grit, how much hard work, nor how much perseverance and devotion kids on the bottom rung put into their dreams. For them, it is nothing but setting goals and practicing. They live their lives with drive, because they have to have drive to make it -- it never stops.

All of us in the United States could learn much from them, as well as from coaches like Mike Silver and Saleh Hanaif, who have dedicated their lives to these young people. They're superheroes.

Yes, it was a loss, but it's a winning team to me. They give me hope for what is possible.