Throughout the school year, international students at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln connect through soccer with support from the International Student and Scholar Office, Student Life and the Lincoln International Football Club.
“Soccer as an activity is a universal language,” said Julius Owusu Afriyie, an international student success navigator. “You don’t have to understand each other to play. It’s just people coming together.”
Adjusting to a new place can feel overwhelming, especially for international students, Afriyie said. When students see a soccer ball rolling around, they want to join and play a sport they are familiar with.
Spoken language falls away when students play, and the language of soccer brings people together and creates community, said Josh Overocker, associate vice chancellor in Student Life.
“Student Life, holistically, is helping support all students,” Overocker said. “So, there is a lot of collaboration with ISSO and Global Affairs teams to create pathways for students to feel like they are part of the Husker community.”
The Lincoln International Football Club has partnered with Student Life and ISSO to host soccer events — including a UNL World Cup tournament on April 17 — for students and youth in the Lincoln community.
“A lot of these students come from different countries, and soccer is the only sport they know,” said Hasan Khalil, founder and executive director of the soccer club. “The first questions they ask are not ‘Where’s our apartment going to be?’ or ‘Which neighborhood will we live in?’ They ask, ‘Is there a field where we can play soccer?’”
The club serves more than 350 children, representing 27 countries and 30 languages, Khalil said. Husker students, faculty and staff often volunteer at the youth events.
Khalil said he knows many of the players from middle school and high school through work at Golden Scissor, the barbershop he owns. Watching them go on to represent their countries at the university has been especially meaningful to him.
Some of the students have survived genocide or fled conflict, Khalil said, and many of their families dream of building a better life in the United States. He said their participation shows that people can embrace their identities and take pride in where they come from while being part of a safe, welcoming community.
Khalil said he is confident the current World Cup, which runs through July 19 at sites across North America, will change soccer in the United States forever. He believes the event will help the country recognize soccer as the world’s most popular sport and encourage greater investment in its growth and development.
“This World Cup can prove this is how powerful soccer is,” Khalil said.
Learn more about the Lincoln International Football Club, including how to volunteer, online.
