The Bedlam Farm Warriors had a great night Thursday at The New Year Indoor Soccer Cup Tournament in Clifton Park, N.Y. Their trip was sponsored by the Army Of Good.

They tied for second place and beat two of the strongest teams in the league. I couldn’t get there because of the snow and ice here, but I could see by this photo, taken at the point of victory, that this was a big moment, I don’t often see that many smiles on the soccer team faces, they are pretty shy and reserved.

This is going to be a great week for the soccer team, they are on holiday vacation from school and Ali and I have been working to give them some different activity every day of the 10-day break, he wants to cement their sense of community and keep them from being idle.

Ali is genuine hero, he has devoted so much of his life to these kids.

In the winter, the team has entered several indoor tournaments to keep their skills and team focus. We are also planning movie excursions and bowling and ice-skating, and two trips to the country.

This is important. Their home situations are often difficult, often there is only one parent holding several low-paying jobs.

They also face pressure and increasing hostility at school, so this time with Ali and one another is critical. Next month, Ali is organizing a girl’s basketball team – most of the young women at RISSE, the refugee and immigrant support center, avoid competitive sports with me for religious and cultural reasons.

The young (and older) women are often uncomfortable being photographed or written about, especially by strangers.

We are working on that, it takes trust and time, and the basketball team could be a turning point. Maya, above center is the only female at RISSE, the refugee and immigrant center in Albany,  who wanted to join the soccer team, and she is one of their star players.

Ali and the kids love soccer, it is much more than a game for them, and he uses the same to foster discipline, team work and personal support for one another. They need those things desperately. Ali and I are also working to help identify individual needs – tutoring, clothes, classes, tuition fees – things their parents cannot handle.

They needed new uniforms, and we provided the funds for them. It was the team’s decision to call themselves the Bedlam Farm Warriors, not mine. I never imagined having the name of my farm on a sports team.

But the uniforms are growing on me, and Ali says it fires them up when they play.  Red is the official team mascot.

This tournament was a big deal and we have entered a second one at the end of this month.

A second place win is impressive, the  more to come, I think.

I  hope to be there for that.

This week, on Christmas break, the team went to Pompanuck Farm for a day, and will go see a movie this afternoon – either Jumanji or Star Wars. Tomorrow, ice skating, and then bowling the next day. Then more soccer.  We buy the tickets and provide some refreshments.

Ali send me this photo, the person next to him is Molly, a strong supporter of the soccer team and of the RISSE refugees and immigrants.

I thank the Army Of Good for making this week possible for these very endearing and hard working young new citizens of the United States, they are struggling to make sense of life in their new home, which sometimes seems ambivalent to them these days.

You can help support this work if you wish by donating any amount of money – one time donations – to me at P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816,or Paypal, [email protected].

This was a great victory, and not just for them.