WHO would have thought a game with a bunch of friends
in Sydney would grow into Afghan 11, a soccer team which attributes it's winning
streak to diplomatic management, earning from experience and youthful energy.
"We are all young, and we all do it because we have fun. At the same time we find out how other Afghans
are living because the team environment puts us in touch with the community," says team member Omar Nawabi.
"We are the most organized and successful team. We have no old age players. We are all young, and more
importantly we have a strong friendship bond."
He says the friendship has been an important factor in keeping the team cohesive, another factor has been open decision making.
"It's all according to the rules. No friendly deals. We don't have one specific decision maker. The policy
is we ask every one and take a vote."
He says this especially happens when a new player joins the team.
"We ask every one and if the majority says 'yes' we accept that person. This way every one feels they have a part to play."
Nawabi says other teams usually do not follow this principle and instead appoint one main decision maker. However, that method does not always
prove fruitful.
"The other teams have decision makers...but...a decision maker can be liked or hated. He/she could make the wrong decision.
"Unfortunately in Australia people haven't got the habits which people had in Afghanistan, which was to
respect an elder's decision. Instead when an appointed elder says something, every one disagrees and the end is conflict."
He says the popularity of soccer in the Afghan community is not anything new. Soccer is an interest
people bring with them when they come to Australia.
"It's popular in Australia because so many players are new arrivals and soccer is Afghanistan's most popular
sport. The roots of the interest is from back there."
According to Nawabi Afghan 11 is now on a winning streak in home and interstate games. However he says
the ride to the top has not been an easy one.
"There was one stage where we joined high classed tournaments, and we weren't winning any games. So we
kept going even though it was disappointing to lose all the time.
"In those tournaments there is tough competition with good teams such as the South Americans. So they were not only
Afghan teams. So far we have lost twice in the final of the Fijian League.
"We are a young team, and we didn't have the experience. There was the pressure of things like people watching us play."
However he says the team took it a week at a time and got better with focused training sessions.
"Now, especially after we toured Melbourne and beat them, our confidence has grown in the game and the nerves aren't as bad as before.
It's something only experience can get you prepared for."
Nawabi says the team's long term goal is to make a soccer club. He believes the game brings unity amongst young Afghan boys and keeps
them occupied.
"Our long term goal is to make a soccer club, not just a team," he says.
"We want to grow and have several branches. With good management, which we have, I know that is possible for sure."
The team is planning to tour Brisbane soon.
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