8,000 Miles from Home — STENNETT SMITH

L to R: Keenan, Aidan, Nur, Alex, and Tristan celebrate with other members of the Ubuntu Football Academy. (Robin and Luto had already arrived in the U.S.)

September 4, 2018 — Cape Town, South Africa

Robin, Luto, Tristan, Alex, Keenan, Nur, and Aidan are beginning a new chapter. Wrapped in the arms of their families as they said farewell for the next year, each of these boys made the long journey to the U.S. to begin preseason training before they start school for the Fall term. They might be far from home, but this is the kind of opportunity they have dreamed about since they were young footballers.

Scattered across the country, Ubuntu will be represented at five different schools in five different states, stretching from New York to Oregon. All seven of these boys will be attending school and playing soccer. Robin and Luto are completing their freshman year of college, and they have both broken into the starting XI in their preseason matches. Alex and Tristan are to complete their postgraduate year at college preparatory schools, both hoping to sign with a 4-year university at the end of this school year. Aidan, Keenan, and Nur are attending different boarding schools, and they will complete grade 10.

ROBIN TERRY, CORBAN UNIVERSITY, FRESHMAN

LUTO TOM, IOWA LAKES CC, FRESHMAN

TRISTAN ERISPE, PUTNAM SCIENCE ACADEMY, PG

ALEX VAN SCHALKWYK, NORTHWOOD SCHOOL, PG

KEENAN KOOPMAN, BERKSHIRE SCHOOL, GRADE 11

NUR ADHIKARIE, TAFT SCHOOL, GRADE 11

AIDAN MULLER, PUTNAM SCIENCE ACADEMY, GRADE 11

We believe our boys are growing into the leaders and society-changers that will continue to shift and change their spheres of influence for good. Today, we are celebrating these seven and all they have accomplished so far. It is an honor, a privilege, and a joy to watch them take a bold step, pursuing excellence in every avenue of their lives.

“Some men have lived their whole lives dreaming and thinking about their goals, but they have never really lived. Now you are on the brink of stepping into your goal and living that reality as this new journey begins. Live your dream to the fullest, never regret, and write your own story for the world to see God’s Glory,” Theo Koopman, Keenan's father.

HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR