Footballing (and writing) ability is not important

The children in this school are too incapacitated to have been able to take part in the activities at the Kgafela Primary School in Mochudi earlier in the day. But Special Olympics wants to make them feel as much a part of the journey of The Ball as those who were able to make it to the school.

The Ball really is for everyone

This is Christian’s first experience of mingling with those who are unable to play football and he takes it upon himself to make sure that each and every child gets to interact with The Ball in some way. The Ball has never been about football alone — and this visit is, to him, absolute proof that participation trumps competition.

Signing The Ball is of prime importance

You’ve got to head The Ball before you sign it

The smiles of recognition are reward enough. The Ball is signed in new and previously unknown ways. Making a mark is more than adequate as The Ball makes its way around the children. Previously, Christian has been liberal in issuing yellow cards to those who deliberately handle The Ball. But here, he makes an exception — here, everyone is an honorary goalkeeper.

The ever-reliable Alliy has organised a car and driver for us to head out of town in. Andrew and I jump in, and off we go to look for my grandmother Katarzyna’s grave. It is quite an adventure in itself finding the graveyard, tucked away as it is away from the main road behind various agricultural institutes in the small settlement of Tengeru.

Entrance to the Livestock Institute in Tengeru

Why then is she buried here? Well, as you might guess, it’s a long story. Others have probably told the story with more historical accuracy, but all I can do at this point is tell it as I understand it right here and now.

My grandfather Bronilaw had migrated to eastern Europe from his birthplace in the US — Providence, Rhode Island — some time in the inter-war years. He married Katarzyna, who was from a region which is now in Slovakia, and my father was born in a small village in what was then south-eastern Poland but is now north-western Ukraine. Confused? Yeah, so was I.

Fast-forward to the outbreak of World War 2. The Nazi-Soviet Pact splits Poland in two and the Russians start moving whole populations out of Poland. My grandfather ended up stationed with the Polish army in Uzbekistan, where, in 1942, he died. Sixty years later, on the very first journey of The Ball to the World Cup in Korea and Japan, I found his grave in the small town of Kanimech.

My grandma, father and uncle were separately taken to a Siberian labour camp, where they were to stay for the next two years. At some point, it seems that the Polish government-in-exile came to an agreement with Stalin that they (and many others like them) would be given passage out of Russia. And so began a terrible journey south.

From Siberia by train through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan to Pakistan. So many died, lost to the cold, hunger and disease. And yet many made it all the way to the Pakistani port of Karachi, where they were put on a ship and brought to Mombasa, then transported here to Tengeru, in the shadow of Kilimanjaro.

Christian finds the first sign of the graveyard

Despite suffering from the effects of a recent earthquake, which caused many of the fragrant frangipani trees to collapse, I am pleased to see that many are still standing and that the graveyard looks well cared for. The caretaker claims that he has not received his salary from the Polish government for four months. Whether this is true, or whether it is his story to extract sympathetic donations from visitors at an emotional moment, remains to be seen. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I slip him a bundle of shillings.

The graveyard caretaker signs The Ball

And anyway, more important matters are foremost in my thoughts. Where is the grave I’ve been waiting so long to see? It doesn’t take long to spot it. The caretaker hands me some “flowers” that my cousin Julia left to decorate the grave. So then, here is the end of two roads — for my grandma Katarznya and for my pilgrimage to see her final resting place.

Katarzyna’s grave and cousin Julia’s flowers

It’s odd, the only thing that I didn’t expect was this: for so many years, it has been in my mind to visit Tengeru, and now that I have, there are two contradictory feelings. On the one hand, a weight has been lifted from, my shoulders – I have fulfilled my internal promise to my father to go and visit the grave… both for myself and for him.

Rest in peace, Katarzyna

On the other hand is a kind of mourning, not specifically for Katarzyna, whom of course I never knew, but, strangely, for the passing of the need to make a pilgrimage. I no longer have this to look forward to, whether as reality or aspiration. It’s liberating and sad at one and the same time. But perhaps it also frees me to stop looking back for answers to family mysteries — and look forward to vital family realities when I return.

Postscript: a curious narrative collision. Karin, my mum, tells me that, shortly after Katarzyna’s funeral, my father was seriously shamed by the Polish community elders for playing football. I think he might relish the thought that we played keepie-uppie just a few feet from the graveyard gate.

The Maasai way of juggling

We weren’t expecting them to warm to us as they have done. The first day we were here in Longido, the Maasai kept their distance. It was the locals who were playing with us. The Maasai appear to be cautious people. But we can understand their caution. Perhaps they saw that we are here to have fun. And they understand this. We are not parachuting in and trying to come to terms with and understand their culture in a matter of hours. That is simply not possible. We don’t have the time to do a proper ethnography or cultural study. And this is not our mission anyway.

Christian’s way of juggling using local fruit

We have brought something tangible, something unique and something magical to them. They took their time in the first few days of our visit. They sussed us and our strange ball out. It has been a lovely introduction to Tanzania. This has been really special arriving here incognito. And still the spirit of The Ball shines through.

Maasai women sign The Ball

The more I think about it. The more respect I have for the Maasai. They have greeted us with friendship and not with “one picture 10 dollars, come on my tour.” They have just invited us into their homes and invited us to play football with them and helped us to kick The Ball onwards to South Africa and done so with a real spirit. The Spirit of Football perhaps.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Many thanks to Alive & Kicking and Joe Cogan for passing it on to us.

Many congratulations to Dan Magness for breaking the world record for the longest distance covered whilst continuously keeping the ball off the ground. 35 miles across London visiting every Premiership football ground in the process is a truly astonishing feat of endurance and concentration.

Dan arrives at Stamford Bridge to find the reception a bit flat

I’m not going to lie about this — Dan’s record attempt was meant to be done with The Ball itself, but, at the last minute, the Guinness people informed Dan that the ball would have to be a FIFA-approved ball or the record wouldn’t count. So what happened was that Dan did the record with an adidas Jabulani, whilst promoting The Ball and Alive & Kicking in interviews.

Big respect to Dan for the way he stuck to the story — and stuck to the task. What a legend!

Andrew and Sven walked the entire route with Dan, joined later in the day by Phil. They brought The Ball with them and tried to engage onlookers and passers-by with it. I spoke briefly to Andrew today and both the and Sven are suffering… blisters and aching limbs will be a reminder of an amazing day.

It’s 10 o’clock on Sunday morning in Battersea Park. People wearing a motley assortment of Victorian costumes can be seen making their way to a football pitch at its western end. Moustaches and pipes at the ready, the players and spectators have gathered to re-enact a game that lies at the very heart of football — a game that also lies largely forgotten.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This pitch is more than just any old pitch — it is the place where the modern game was born. Football itself (of course) predates the game that took place there on 9th January 1864, but the players who took part in that game were playing by the rules which, in an unbroken run lasting 146 years, have become those of the modern game.

The ball to be used in the game is also more than just any old ball — it is The Ball and this game marks the beginning of its epic journey to the ultimate spectacle of the modern game: the football World Cup in South Africa. It has been hand-made for the journey in Kenya (through which it will pass and quite literally “meet its maker”) by Alive & Kicking, whose director Will Prochaska brings it on to the pitch to be presented to the Spirit of Football team. The last stitch has been saved for this moment, and trustee James Flecker ceremonially snips the last thread that makes it ready for action.

And so, graced with the occasional appearance of a weak winter sun, the players — young and old — run purposefully and comically out onto the pitch. The 1863 rules are read out for their benefit, greeted by looks of puzzlement from the teams — and no reassuring show of authority from the referee. It looks like it’s only experience that will lead to an understanding of the game as it was played.

A coin is thrown in the air, the toss is won by the darks, and so the kick-off must be taken by the lights. It is a forward kick, towards a bewildered darks — wondering no doubt what on earth happens now. Initial reactions seem to be to try and play to the rules, but with tactics more suited to the modern game — the forward pass is the first rule that has to be unlearned. The fact that everyone in advance of the ball is offside is the first rule to be strictly observed.

Pipes are accidentally knocked flying and moustaches are a source of distraction, but the players respect the rules (so contentious at the time) that no tripping or hacking be allowed. A young lad, Alex “Fabregas” Cameron, becomes a source of considerable trouble for the darks defense and his link up play with captain Andrew Aris leads to the first goal for lights.

The Boy Noble, sensing a missed opportunity, is the first to catch the ball and call “mark” and the darks have to retreat as a “free” kick is granted. More goals follow for the lights as they adapt to the rules more quickly and darks captain Phil Wake tries to rally them by adopting a scrummage formation to gain ground in open play.

Sir Tom “Tommy” Thomas begins to realise that there is great advantage in chasing the ball even once it has left the field of play, since it is the first player to the ball that takes the throw in. Behind the goal line, it is even more important, the outcome being either a goal kick for the defenders or a free kick at goal for the attackers.

The unfamiliarity of the rules, which levelled the playing field for all the players, led to the sweetest outcome of the game: a cameraderie and a shared delight in rediscovering the roots of the game which they love.

“The referee needs a monocle!” one player cried, but in the end all players and spectators left with smiles.

Will Prochaska from Alive & Kicking just sent us a photo of The Ball 2010, which has just arrived from Kenya for its kick-off game in Battersea Park.

Below is a short video of a prototype of The Ball 2010, as described by Andrew Aris on a rooftop terrace in Manhattan, shortly before our presentation for the Goethe Institut’s Todo Alemán project back in August last year.

Click here to view the embedded video.

After the kick-off, The Ball 2010 will leave Battersea Park and travel through Europe and 17 African countries (Morocco, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa) to the World Cup Opening Ceremony.

But before it leaves England, on Tuesday January 26th, four times Guinness World Record Holder Dan Magness will attempt to break a world record, by juggling The Ball thirty miles across London, visiting all Premier League football stadiums in London in the process. The current world record stands at 26.1 miles. To successfully beat it, Dan Magness must keep the ball under control at all times using all parts of his body (except his hands) and keeping the ball off the ground.

At each football stadium — Craven Cottage, Stamford Bridge, Upton Park, Emirates and White Hart Lane — Dan will change shirts and reveal the football shirt of that particular Premier League team. Dan’s journey will begin at Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham FC and finish just before kick-off on the pitch at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Tottenham will be playing against Fulham in the Barclays Premier League at 7:45pm.

And so two epic journeys begin with the same ball. Come along to the park and celebrate the kick-off with us…

Sunday January 24th 2010
Meet at the Bandstand from 9.30am – 10am latest
Game from 10.15am until 11:45am
Post–match gathering until late-afternoon at The Prince Albert pub

What’s going on then?

We will be playing football in Battersea Park, London, in honour of the first ever game to FA rules which was played there in January 1864. The ball we play with, made in Africa in partnership with “Alive and Kicking”, becomes The Ball 2010 at kick–off. Over the next five months, it will be passed and dribbled through Europe and Africa. It will live and breathe football, from street to stadium, all the way to the pinnacle of footballing excellence — the FIFA World Cup.

The Ball 2010 is a durable, repairable, fair-trade football made in Africa in partnership with Alive and Kicking. As trustee James Flecker says: “It’s an African ball made for the poorest African communities – the very embodiment of development through football in Africa”. And by teaming up with Special Olympics Africa, The Ball 2010 will help to create awareness of people in Africa with intellectual disabilities and the many challenges they face as it visits 14 events in countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Game

A Game of Three Halves

If you want to play please get in touch with us, get to the Bandstand by 10am and bring along a dark and a light coloured shirt with your oldest looking shorts. We would like to kick off at about 10.15am.

First Half: The Early Game

We’ll start off with a lighthearted look back at the way football was played before the first game of FA rules. No referee, limitless numbers and no rules except for honour and fair play.

Second Half: With the 1864 rules

A short refereed match where the first ever set of FA rules apply. Well, ahem, most of them — we’ll pick teams, 11-a-side, and play a tag substitute system — to keep as many as possible involved and save the tired athletes that smoked their pipes too much in the first half.

Third Half: With modern rules

Darks and Lights will be battling it out to the bitter end with the modern game… pipes and flat caps left on the sidelines.

Dan Magness

Freestyle football genius Dan will be there joining in the festivities and showing us some of the skills that will help him on Tuesday when he will attempt to break a fifth world record by juggling a ball thirty miles across London and visiting all Premier League stadiums in the capital in the process. To be successful he must keep the ball under control at all times using all parts of his body (except his hands) and keep the ball off the ground. Go Dan!

Extra Time

After the football, we will retire to a private room upstairs at The Prince Albert pub, which stands just outside the Albert Gate on the north-west side of Battersea Park. There will be an auction, where replicas of The Ball 2010 signed by the likes of Franz Beckenbauer and other famous footballers can be purchased (donations go to support our journey). Short films of previous journeys (2002 and 2006) will be shown.

The evening of that first game in 1864, the FA made this toast – “Success to Football, irrespective of class and creed”. We will be adding “sex” and “talent” to the list.

Please come and join us as we celebrate the beautiful game.

Battersea Park Map

Mrs. Zuma kicks off the Special Olympics Africa Football Initiative launch.

Special Olympics Africa is partnering with Spirit of Football CIC on “The Ball”. The partnership aims to showcase the achievements of intellectually disabled athletes in Africa though joint activities. The launch game was played with a prototype of The Ball, which in 2010 will embark on its most ambitious journey yet, a 10,000 mile pilgrimage through Europe and Africa to the World Cup in South Africa. Andrew Aris from Spirit of Football was in South Africa to participate in the event. Andrew will be travelling with The Ball on its journey to the 2010 World Cup.

Andrew Aris looks on with consternation as Lucas Radebe fires The Ball past him

A friendly rivalry sprang up between the 94.7 team and the celebrity soccer team. Darren Simpson had challenged soccer legends Lucas Radebe, Mark Fish and Sean Barlett on radio last week. Banyana Banyana player, Janine van Wyk joined the legends and their Special Olympic Athlete partners. Darren Simpson headed up a team with Special Olympics Athletes and Bongani Nxumalo, Zane Derbyshire, Joey Rasdien and Andrew Aris. Surprisingly Darren’s team was 6-2 up at half time, Darren having scored four of those goals. The legends looked slightly sluggish but managed a comeback in the second half and the game ended in a 10-10 draw. Graeme Joffe provided a highly entertaining commentary throughout the match.

Mrs Zuma with Tom Plummer, Managing Director of DHL South Africa after the match with celebrity players from left, Bongani Nxumalo, Janine Van Wyk, Andrew Aris, Shaun Bartlett, Mark Fish, Darren Simpson and Lucas Radebe seated.