The Fredericton Wanderers of Brikama

The soccer (football) season back home is fast approaching, and this past weekend I proved to myself that I'm about two-months away from game fitness...luckily the season starts in exactly two months.

I was invited to the bustling hub of Brikama (really the centre of action on the West Coast of The Gambia...think Truro...or better, don't ever think of Truro...think instead of Moncton)--all traffic seems to run through Brikama--to join my former NSGA colleague and good friend, Jerreh Manneh to play with his senior men's team in a "test match" against a local academy team. Me, old legs, out of practice, unfit, out on the field with a group of nimble and tough 20-25 year olds, squaring off against Team "Two-a-days" (in the form of this youth academy--no joke, these kids practice for upwards of 5 hours daily). And get this...Jerreh plugs me into the central midfield!! Luckily a three man midfield and tells me to just hang in the middle of the field and hold things up..."Yessir" I say, the less running the better.

And so we played...on the FIFA installed field turf that bears little more than two years of wear and tear. (From what I've been able to discern...there are three grass fields and the one turf field in The Gambia...the rest is dust and dirt my friends).

It was spectacular. A real soccer (football) game, on real fake turf, with two real teams, with a real-ish referee...and I made it through the whole first half...barely. These kids can run...and run...and run...and run. And, I cannot.

But we managed to pull out the 2-1 victory, and all and all, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get out and have a good run on the field.

Here comes the kicker (see what I did there)...my club team back home, the Fredericton Wanderers has been looking to partner with a Gambian club, association, group of teams, etc. for the past several weeks. When I told Jerreh of my idea to partner with his team and provide a sense of goodwill through football across the pond, the boys immediately took to the idea and OFFICIALLY changed the name of their team to: The Fredericton Wanderers of Brikama. I left them with a football and a nominal sum of cash as starter money for their upcoming season and promised to develop a close relationship between our two teams...something that we can use to promote global friendship through sport.

The Fredericton Wanderers of Brikama

I can't wait now to get home, get fit, and get out on the real fake turf to start the season.

Until Next Time...Don't Stop Believin,

Matty