I went to the Brunswick, N.Y. to cheer on the refugee soccer team, the Albany Warriors. They were planning one of the wealthiest soccer teams in the area, they have their own complex with three different fields and their own dressing room.

More than 100 parents and relatives of the Brunswick Team showed up to cheer them on, Maria and I were the cheering section of our team, along with Red.

The soccer kids are used to this, they have been playing wealthy and well-funded teams for some time now.

The opposing team was a mighty army, scores of them, many “giants” as the refugee kids called them.  It was true, some of the kids on the opposing team were huge.

it was a practice game, Ali brings them there to play against a top team and learn to figure it out. During the game, I challenged Klue, one of the younger members of the refugee team to a thumb wrestling match, which Red watched intently. He is the team mascot, although many of the kids also  love Fate and love to race her and chase the soccer balls with her.

Klue was a tough thumb wrestler. If kids are over five, I do not ever let them win, I always play to win and I am pretty good. Klue is very good. We battled to a two-game each drawn. I told him he has a very fast thumb.