Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town

Outcasts United

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The author not only explains each family's personal journey to the U. The reporting of the events is largely done with admirable This book delves into the personal histories of a youth soccer team located in Clarkston, GA, which is comprised of a ethnically diverse group of boys recently resettled in the U. The reporting of the events is largely done with admirable journalistic impartiality and the soccer action is sports writing at its best.

The reader is left with a hope that the Fugees finally find a practice field to call their own and a vague desire to have every one of the "Clarkston Old Guard" read this book. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A strength of this book is the description. Examples of that happen all the time when the author explains the background of the characters. A weakness of this book is that the author repeats way too much what he is trying to say. I recommend this book to people who like to know about war and soccer because the author and the book in general is about soccer and the background of each character; war.

Outcasts United tells the story of immigrant assimilation into American society--both the hopeful and disturbing elements of our democratic experiment. As the daughter of an immigrant, the wife of a soccer coach and the parent of soccer players, I feel connected to the story at many levels. When my mother arrived as a small child early in the last century, the world was different than it is now, with different expectations, but the challenges--language, employment, fitting in--all were part of h Outcasts United tells the story of immigrant assimilation into American society--both the hopeful and disturbing elements of our democratic experiment.

When my mother arrived as a small child early in the last century, the world was different than it is now, with different expectations, but the challenges--language, employment, fitting in--all were part of her experience and that of her family. When it comes down to it--most people are happy to live in this country, where hope and opportunity still seem possible. I recently read How Soccer Explains The World, which I found depressing, in that it only seemed to explain the bad things in the world, wars, mobs, racism, bullying This book has restored a bit of my faith in that other side of organized sports; a chance to push yourself, to be part of a team, to work together for a common goal, to participate in something beautiful when everything around you is hard and ugly.

When reading it I remembered being in the Vumba cloud forest of Zimbabwe and be I recently read How Soccer Explains The World, which I found depressing, in that it only seemed to explain the bad things in the world, wars, mobs, racism, bullying When reading it I remembered being in the Vumba cloud forest of Zimbabwe and being told about the importance of the soccer games at the refugee camps.

My impression at the time was that playing soccer helped the Mozambique refugees be accepted by their Zimbabwe neighbors Aug 26, Janine Darragh rated it really liked it Shelves: I really liked this true story about a soccer team comprised entirely of refugees.

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I thought it did a great job of not sugar-coating the challenges and sometimes frustrations of the coach and players. It ended a bit abruptly for me, but I see that this is a YA adaptation of an adult-version, so maybe that one is more fully developed. Overall, I highly recommend to anyone who coaches ANY sport, anyone who loves soccer, and anyone who is interested in refugee resettlement.

This is the kind of nonfiction that I love. Part memoir, part documentary, part inspirational, this story was both informative and emotional. I learned a little more about the refugee experience and the many controversies and tragedies that cause this need. It has broadened my understanding and allowed me to have a greater capacity for empathy, things that I believe we can all benefit from. Definitely one I will be recommending. I read the young readers' version Outcasts United: I enjoyed the team's story and the profiles of different players and their families.

I can see middle school and high school students really enjoying this, given the soccer and real-life focus. A cheering-for-the-underdog story, with some very succinct education in recent international civil wars that have resulted in waves of displaced refugees to the U.

Enjoyed it very much, while humbling me, once again, to my own circumstance and privilege. Kids working together to ultimately make a little piece of their world a better place. And a woman leads them to this. It's a feel good story and will increase an awareness of refugees in America and immigration policies.

Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town

Okay this review is going to be a little different so I wanted to add a little warning here. I figured that I could just transfer that all over, so it is a little long and it is way different. I thought this would be unique. Thoughts and Feelings about reading this book Do y Okay this review is going to be a little different so I wanted to add a little warning here.

Thoughts and Feelings about reading this book Do you like to read books that are not textbooks? I actually run my own book blog and posts reviews on what I read. What are your thoughts about this book? It is different from books that I normally read. I have recently enjoyed reading about refugees and culturally diversity though.

What do you think it will be about? I think it will be about sports bringing refugees together. It will show the impacts of teamwork and comradery through soccer for those newly in a completely different environment. How do you feel like this book will fit in with the diversity course? I think it fit in due to the refugees assimilation into American society. It will show the impacts of a diverse population in a small American town.

Chapters Talk about why you think the people of Clarkston were scared of the refugees that were moving into their town? The refugees bring a complete and total change to Clarkston. The citizens are scared of change, the refugees, and what they will bring with them. There is a lack of understanding. What did Luma do to show her independence and follow her dream? How did it affect her family? Luma decided to stay in the USA after college. Her family completely cut her off and disowned her.

Why do the refugees see Coach Luma as not knowing what she was doing? Is this way of thinking different in the United States culture than theirs? Why or why not? The refugees viewed Luma as an imbecile because she was a woman and older than they.

Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town by Warren St. John

Talk about the significance of the shoe. Why is it so important and why do you think he only has one? He took care of it and it was his prized possession. Even though Coach Luma was not a social worker, what social work roles did she play with the refugees?

Luma was able to understand what the refugees were going through. She was able to relate to them on a personal level. She listened to the refugees, but did not pry. She let them speak to her as they needed. Talk about the biggest challenge coach Luma faced with the players. What ways can you think of that she can get the team to work together?

The players would split up into teams with players of the same background or language as them. Luma should split them up herself and really focus on teamwork and diversity. Chapters If given the same situation and options as Paula was given what would you choose to do and why? Imagine being told you were moving to another country in 2 week, like Bien was.

How do you think you would feel? I think they would feel absolutely horrified. It would be depressing and lonely. Talk about how you felt after reading about Chime in Chapter 8. As a social worker in Clarkston, is there anything you could have done to prevent incidents like this?

It made me feel angry, ashamed, and hurt. Jordan was questioning the officer and reached for his wallet. I believe it take one person to instigate change, but it takes everyone to completely prevent circumstances. There would have to be a complete makeover of the police department to prevent these incidents. How did Luma use Networking to benefit the Fugees? Why do you feel Networking is so important in social work? Luma talked through the parents to find help for the Fugees. She worked with the YMCA to find a field to practice on. It is all about who you know. It is easier to network and work together.

With more people, there are more opportunities. Discuss the Fugees and how far they have come from the first day of practice until now. Do you think the Fugees have a fair chance in Clarkston to win or not? What are the limitations they face and do they allow these limitations to control their success? I believe they had setbacks, but they never gave up. They pushed and pushed to achieve their goals. I think their chance of winning is so-so. Clarkston is racist, anti-refugee, and anti-soccer.

They will have to keep fighting in order to succeed. Why or Why not? It provided them with an outlet from what was going on in their personal lives. Do you feel like it was the right thing to do? I am back and forth on whether or not it was the correct decision. Why is it so important for Kanue to get the team back together? Why does he push so hard to achieve this goal? The team was all Kanue had in this new country. His uncle was always gone to work and he was alone. Soccer brought him the joy he was missing in his life. What, in your opinion, game them this false picture of reality?

I believe everyone talks the United States up. The refugees are leaving the harsh environments in their country and the USA is a better alternative to what they were put through in their home country. Burnout is common among social workers and people in the helping profession. Luma exhibits burnout in these last few chapters.

How could have prevented feeling this way? What are some things she could have done to help her cope with the increasing challenges she faced with the refugees? Chapters Luma felt like she was setting the Under 15 team up for failure since she kept the team alive. Do you think she is setting them up for failure? I do not believe Luma was setting the team up for failure. She was providing them with an outlet. She was giving them something to focus on and goals to attain while teaching responsibility.

People are constantly changing and evolving. My views are not the same as they were five years ago. You cannot be stuck in your ways. You must be open minded and considerate. One of the previous members made the following statement: Nothing goes one way, it goes both ways. The refugees did change by coming here but the town must also accommodate and change for them.

Scipio, the new chief of police implemented several programs to combat the treatment of the refugee populations. What were 2 of the things he implemented? Do you feel like he went overboard with citations or do you feel it was necessary? The two programs Scipio implemented were diversity training and civilian ride along with the officers. I do not believe he went overboard with citations. The term super-diversity is used in the book. There are three steps for making super-diversity work. Instead of informing categories, consider ALL categories one belongs to. Recategorization — what everyone has in common, not us vs them.

Mutual differentiation — acknowledge interdependence, or different group identities. Chapters Why do you think that teenagers are attracted to gangs? What did Luma do to help the Fugees understand gangs and how to protect themselves from them? Luma gave the players alternative options.

She spoke to them on their level and really informed them of the negative aspects of gangs. How did this make you feel when you read it? They were creating inside jokes. The fast runners slowed down for the slower runners so that they could all run and chant together. Think about your teenage years. What additional pressure would you face as a teenage refugee? People are not always open to change or welcoming to diversity. We get scared and sometimes forget what we were founded upon. What do you think is going to happen to Mandela since he is no longer on the team?

I believe Mandela with either shape up or might succumb to a gang to find the same comradery he found with his team. Chapters In other countries if someone new moves in from out of the country people want to talk to them and get to know them. I think they tend to be afraid of refugees because they are coming from a hostile environment and they fear they will bring it here with them.

Do you feel like you have any fears when it comes to people who are different from you? I have a fear of the unknown, so I would say I do fear those who are different. What other aspects of their lives do playing on a soccer team help with? What assumptions did the officers who were booking Luma into jail make due to the fact that she was born out of the country? If this had been you that had been arrested do you think you would have been treated differently and why?

The officers assume that she is a refugee and a trouble maker. They assume she does not know the laws. They look up to Luma and learn from her. If it had been an American team with a few refugee players do you think it would have gone differently? It was impressive because it was quickly and easily decided to adhere to the other religions so that everyone was included.

Chapter 31 and Epilogue What was your overall impression of the book? My overall impression was that Outcasts United was unique and awe inspiring. It was a very well written novel on a touchy subject. Do you feel like you learned something about diversity and about your own biases? If so, what did you learn? I learned that I have changed and evolved a lot over the last five years since coming to college. I am more open minded and am actually in an interracial relationship now preparing our wedding.

I do think this novel helped enhance my future career. It opened my eyes to diversities in the classroom and what all they may have been through before coming here. Your final thoughts Tell me your final thoughts about the book. Was it what you expected? Outcasts United was what I expected as I have been reading similar books here recently. I have always lived here and I know that small town way of seeing things. Did you enjoy the book? Yes, I did enjoy this novel. It was very informative and hard to put down.

She was a true hero to those kids. This imminently readable book is about a Young Jordanian-American woman coach and members of several of her soccer teams comprised of recent immigrants, a polyglot of Iraqis, Burundians, Liberians, Bosnians, Somalis, Afghanis, and others. As newly relocated immigrants, these young kids were dealing with torn apart families, poverty, prejudice, assimilation, cultural differences, language barriers, and more challenges t Outcasts United, A Refuge Team, an American Town by Warren St.

As newly relocated immigrants, these young kids were dealing with torn apart families, poverty, prejudice, assimilation, cultural differences, language barriers, and more challenges than most of us can even imagine. To a large extent the players and their families were not particularly welcome where they landed in American outside Atlanta, though it could have been anywhere. The author did a good job of withholding judgement about the various supposed bad actors in the story, doing his best to explain different perspectives and reactions to uninvited change that tested the tolerance and understanding of many of the people in the community.

Above all the story is inspiring, but it is also aggravating, frustrating, nauseating, and enervating, even across the chasm separating reality and the written word. The coach, Luma Mufleh, is an amazing woman who devoted her life to soccer and young people in desperate need of the sport, friendship, leadership, strict discipline, and structure she offered.

Despite many successes by a variety of measures, there is no wonderful, fulfilling ending. Rather the struggle continues, and this tale underscores the need for all of us to do the extremely hard work of building our own communities, including all residents and constituencies. This is the kind of nonfiction that I like - plenty of stories of real people told with some historical context to help widen my view of the world. At work I am about to start working with more refugees, so this was a painless way to get a foundation for my professional work.

Unexpectedly, the part that I appreciated most was actually the author's discussion about how diversity brings us together or pushes us apart, and the research that was done that showed that ignoring differences, not pointin This is the kind of nonfiction that I like - plenty of stories of real people told with some historical context to help widen my view of the world. Unexpectedly, the part that I appreciated most was actually the author's discussion about how diversity brings us together or pushes us apart, and the research that was done that showed that ignoring differences, not pointing them out, was actually the thing that helped people get along.

That's diametrically opposed to the work I'm doing on the diversity council at work, so I'm planning to chew on that further. Even if you aren't interested in refugees, global politics, or soccer, I still think you might find something of worth in this book. This story takes place in a small town in Georgia. Conflict was and still is rampant around the world, where families lived in constant fear. This mismatched soccer team name eventually evolves to being called, The Fugees. Most arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs and already in debt — owing thousands of dollars to a government agency for the cost of their one-way plane tickets to America.

Once in the U. This kind of transition would be difficult for anyone, but children and teenagers face special challenges. They are caught between worlds — no longer of the countries in which they were born, yet still separate and outside from the culture of their new home. A remarkable woman who emigrated from Jordan named Luma has a burden for these boys and their families. And even though she is a "girl" she knows how to coach and can certainly play soccer. She organizes a team for these diverse boys, battling language barriers, lack of funding and racial discrimination. After all, how can families afford to buy soccer shoes when they don't even have money to put food on the table.

At times, the book frustrated me as Luma and The Fugees, experience such hardships, failure and disappointment. I wanted everything to go smoothly for them, but this is not a work of fiction and problems abound. But Luma somehow had the personality and heart to perservere. She does not view herself as remarkable, but she made a difference in the lives of many people who would have simply been lost in the system. Luma is still doing so today. A feel good story about refugees coming together while playing soccer sounds trite, but in Outcasts United Warren St. John manages to show enough of everyone's rough edges to bring out a great story.

The story avoids sappiness or oversimplification. There is no climax per se, but From http: There is no climax per se, but rather a constant fight against poverty, exclusion, and fear. Insert your "against all odds" cliche here. Nonetheless, it is very well-written and avoids black-and-white descriptions of the reactions to the refugees. John talks to everyone, and many of the people some of the local politicians, community leaders, parents from other soccer teams, etc.

From a policy perspective, the book raises the point that immigration agencies do not bother coordinating with local government. They find communities with available cheap housing and ready public transportation access to metro areas in this case Atlanta. They then bring in large numbers of people and say nothing to local officials, who find themselves in a sink or swim situation that raises tensions. John attended the single meeting set up between local elected officials and immigration agencies, he actually portrayed the latter in a negative light, as they became defensive and implied everyone was discriminatory.

John does not explore is the question of soccer itself. Clarkston's mayor kept rejecting requests to play on a city field, saying that only baseball could be played there. An undertone of the first part of the book is the idea that soccer is foreign. Yet the second half of the book gives all sorts of examples of how wealthy Americans love soccer and support it.

Do people dislike soccer, or just immigrants playing soccer? If a group of Spanish-speaking kids wanted to play baseball, would baseball also be banned? This is relevant in the context of the World Cup--media commentators discuss how foreign soccer is, it is slow, we're not used to ties, etc. Outcasts United by Warren St.

John was an amazing paged non fiction book. This is a very inspiring book about families that come from troubled countries who get relocated to Clarkson, Georgia. These families have been through a lot and have managed to get transferred all the way to the US to rebuild their lives. Many of these families have teenage boys in them.

And this lady named Luma who is from the middle east decided to leave her family to study in the US, after she finished college, she Outcasts United by Warren St. And this lady named Luma who is from the middle east decided to leave her family to study in the US, after she finished college, she moved to Clarkson as well.

Luma has been playing soccer all her life and when she found out that there is a large amount of refugees in Clarkson and she saw a lot of them playing soccer in the car park, she decided to start a soccer academy for them and they would be called the Fugees which is short for refugees. After she graduated from Smith college, she decided she wanted to stay.

Her parents were very upset her father disowned her but later those wounds were healed. Fate brought Luma to Clarkston, Georgia, a small southern town outside I loved this book, especially since I am familiar with the story. Fate brought Luma to Clarkston, Georgia, a small southern town outside of Atlanta which is home to many refugees. I taught at Clarkston High School so I know the character of the refugee children. They were always so polite, so studious, and so much more respectful of teachers than the American children.

One young boy from Sudan who I knew came here when he was 10 years old and had never had formal education. One of the teachers at Clarkston High School offered night classes to the refugee families where he taught things like -- how to use a refrigerator and what goes into a refrigator. Luma was very taken by the refugee families and started a soccer team. This wasn't an ordinary soccer team -- Luma helped her team members adjust to their new country, taught them discipline, provided tutoring for their school work, and became involved with the families. This was her passion.

She started a small school for the refugees and is currently involved in fundraising to expand the school. I thought the author, a reporter for the New York Times, who came to Clarkston to write an article and instead stayed a year and wrote this book , did a good job of explaining the past and present culture of the refugees. I thought he was particulary adeptin explaining the motives behind so many people in the book, including Luma herself, Tracy, Clarkson's mayor, sheriff, and even the local grocer.

I did not know what to expect from Outcasts United. On the one hand, I do not like sports--watching sports or reading about sports. On the other hand, I do like compelling personal accounts, people working, struggling, hoping, believing. The hero of Outcasts United is Luma Mufleh, a woman soccer coach. Mufleh was born and raised in Jordan; she came to the United States for college and decided that this is where she wanted to live.

Staying in the U. But she'd had a taste of freedom, and wanted more. She knew it would be work, work, work. She knew it would not be easy, but she knew this would be her best chance. This isn't her story alone, it is the story of lives touching and connecting--immigrant stories.

Readers learn a handful of stories about boys mainly, these are those Luma came to know in her role as coach. She wasn't just teaching soccer, she was also teaching discipline, self-control, responsibility, and respect. Mufleh's three teams are mentioned: But for the most part, it is the two younger teams that are the focus of the book.

The book highlights specific players from specific seasons of the game. This one has a definite sports emphasis. It is a book dedicated to the sport of soccer. If you have zero interest in that subject, you may or may not get enough satisfaction from the other stories. I liked some chapters better than others. Jul 26, Patti from Charlotte added it. Having lived in Clarkston, Georgia, the setting of the book, for several years in the early 's and having been a 'soccer mom' for the better part of the last ten years as well, this book 'spoke' to me on many natural levels.

However, the depth of the story extended far, far beyond those simple parameters and to the many backstories of Luma Mufleh and the refugee families that she encountered during her own exodus from her native land. Never again will I sit on the sidelines of a soccer game Having lived in Clarkston, Georgia, the setting of the book, for several years in the early 's and having been a 'soccer mom' for the better part of the last ten years as well, this book 'spoke' to me on many natural levels.

Never again will I sit on the sidelines of a soccer game in my collapsable chair under my umbrella, Diet Coke in hand, without thinking of the small army of lives touched by her hand on other soccer fields of the Southeast. The hardships that the Fugee teams encountered to play this "Beautiful Game" stretched much further than the simple creature comforts seemingly important to my suburban world. In documenting her story and those other stories of her journey, Warren St.

John quoted her friend and assistant an understatement! Tracy Ediger aptly, "No one person can do everything, but we can all do something. Sep 08, Jacob Clark rated it it was ok. Luma had many difficult challenges in her life she came over here for school. Her family was in jordan living there lifestyle she never left clarkston because of soccer and her hometown.

She worked really hard to get where she is today by opening a ice cream parlor, being a waitress, and being a soccer coach. Trying to life her life multitasking. This book is a true inspirational story of Middle Eastern refugees in a small town in Georgia who share a love for the same sport. Their coach, Luma, is Middle Eastern herself and can speak many of the languages that the players speak.

Luma inspires the players to work hard, do good in school, and stay out of trouble while still having fun as a team. Not something that I would sit down and read for a long time without a motive b. I loved the story over all, Luma was such an inspiring figure, and I grew attached to many of the characters and loved learning their stories. Oct 06, Elias Polonsky added it.

It also teaches us how to make our own decision as Luma did in the book. It also teaches us that no matter what you have to be happy in what you are doing. As many freshmen have told me, freshman year is for deciding what you want to do. You can know now what you want to do but in a matter of seconds you can change your mind completely. In every book I read I try to look for the things that the book wants to teach us. In the first part of the book it talks about Luma, the coach of the team that she goes against her family because she wanted to do something of her own, she wanted to do something that makes her happy.

We can see this in a lot of communities, and more often in the less liberal ones. Those decision are going to mark you for the rest of your life, if you choose to do something that you like you are never going to regret, but if somebody chooses for you, you are going to regret for the rest of your life. In the book Luma goes against her parents and stays in the states because that makes her happy.

She wanted to stay and never in the book there is a big feeling of regret by her taking the wrong decision. When it talks about Clarkston the city that the refugees where resettled, it talks about how the new comers accommodate into their new world and how the old comers treated them and how they think about them. We cannot say that they were mean by not accepting them; we have to be on their shoes first to talk about them. We can say that we are good people and that if that happen to us we would accept them and help them, but as most of the societies now a day they just care about themselves and nobody else, I am not saying that everyone is like this but most of them are.

In Clarkston there were a lot of problems with the new comers because all of them came from different countries, form different problems and form different cultures, so the problems were not only between the new comers and old comers were also between the different cultures that collapsed between each other. Most of the new comers have had really hard lives, most of them come from war countries and each of them has their own stories that lead them to a refugee camp and after that to Clarkston.

In the story there are particular stories of some kids that lost their families, they have lived I war zones and one of them saw how they murdered his family. They had some hard lives and have lived too much for the ages that they have. Another example is when the police cup beat someone up with no reason. A sport can give you so much, team work, new friends, teach you hard work, discipline and for the new refugee kids it can help them in their relocation. It can give them something to care about, to be passionate of.

When it talks about the practices it talks about the group of kids that were formed at the beginning, each group was from kids from the same country and spoke the same language. One of the challenges was to get them all to work together. The discipline was another big issue, with the gangs hanging around practice Luma had to make some harsh rules for the ones that wanted to stay in the team. Reading the book I learn some really important things to help me in my freshman year.

The role that Luma played in the story is not an easy task. Also when she started the soccer program everybody was telling her that she was crazy and nobody at the beginning wanted to help her. She fight against all that to do what she loved that was soccer, and that teaches us that no matter what you should do what you love and what you want to do with the rest of your life. And from the other issues in the book I learned that the world is not even close to perfect, and is far from being neither perfect nor good.

But you can find some good people that are willing to go against adversity to help anybody in their way. Oct 06, Simon Lapscher rated it it was amazing Recommended to Simon by: This book is based in Clarkston, a small town in the outskirt of Atlanta, GA. S some years ago and whose dedication helped her overcome many obstacles and made her a strong, independent leader.

In a personal manner, I related to this book in a really strong way. I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. In , Hugo Chavez came into power and started changing the country into what it is now, a socialist dictatorship that keeps heading downhill as time goes by. I realized it was time to leave in search for a place where I could build a normal life, one where I can go out on the streets without worrying about being kidnapped or robbed. I filled up my application and ended up here, in the Georgia Institute of Techology studying Industrial Engineering.

The other way in which I personally relate to this story is soccer. Ever since I was 5 years old, I have practiced soccer with my school team. Soccer helped me overcome a lot of obstacles in my life; it was a way of releasing all my accumulated stress through kicking the ball. Three times a week two for practice and one for game , I left all my thoughts and all my concerns outside and let my instincts be the only thing controlling my moves. Before every game, my coach would tell us the same speeches Luma gave this kids, we would worm up as a team the same way the Fugees did, and we would enjoy the game the same way these kids did.

After every game, win or lose, we would feel relieved; then we would go talk to the other team and congratulate them on a game well played; at the end of the game, win or loose, we would shake the hand of the player in front of us as a symbol of respect, of fair play. The Fugees need this game more than probably most people. They have so much going on in their lives, so many problems including starvation, post war trauma, becoming acquainted with gangs, that soccer seems like the perfect way for these young men to overcome these burdens, for them to become a better self.

These refugees come to a new world that they only pictured in their dreams, however now figuring out that nothing is perfect and that the obstacles are not gone; that U. S is no paradise and that they will once more have to overcome themselves. This is an inspiring story filled with youthful insight, one that I identified with a lot, making this book a really strong and one; Warren St John makes us appreciate the things we have and the life we lead and makes us conscious of the problems that people 5 miles away from us go through in their daily basis.

Nov 08, Carter Stagner rated it liked it. There are 3 age groups. The main character is Luma. The club is meant for refugees. The main things I like about this book is that it was about soccer, refugees, and it was set in Georgia which is where I live. I liked the main character, Luma. I partly liked how it was non-fiction because I could imagine everything actually happening. The writing was basic and it wasn't very fun for me to read, sometimes.

It fell too simple at times. Overall I enjoyed the book but it could have been better. Oct 07, Maricruz Bravo marked it as to-read. Luma is characterized by her determination to make the boys succeed as a team. Her determination may sometimes be confused with toughness and insensible traits, but deep inside her she has a soft and tender heart whose only purpose is to make the boys happy and successful as persons and soccer players.

The theme is portrayed through the group of refugees who have to deal with the changes, adaptations and their transitions to their new environment. After reading the book by Warren St. Things in life happen for a reason, even though sometimes that reason is not necessarily known immediately. This novel made me realize that everything is achievable if one determines oneself to achieve it. It also showed me the challenges and difficulties that people face in creating a community when having so little in common, but once again, the determination plays an important role. The coach, Luma is a refugee in Clarkston who had to deal also with the challenges that a refugee encounters when living in another country.

She had to learn how to deal with the cultural clash between her Jordanian background and the new culture in which she was being introduced to. Nevertheless, she overcomes the challenges and obstacles and learned how to coexist in her new environment. One of the ways she dealt with her new reality was by dedicating her time to coach soccer to refugee boys who she saw playing in a parking lot of an old apartment building called the Lakes.

She not only coaches them, but mentors them, educates them and helps them with their adaptation to the new environment, which she had already learn to deal with. Luma discovers that soccer is the way for the boys to distract and not think of their new reality, of their new home and environment.

It is the way that boys use to connect with the other refugees. I relate myself with Luma and the boys because of my international experience here at Tech. I left my home country to come to the United States to study. Not only did I leave my country, but also I left behind my culture, my language, my family, and my homemade food. I came into an unknown world to me, I did not know what to expect out of the university and all that it conveys. At first, the feeling of solitude was predominant all throughout my day. I missed everything, even my cat. As like the boys playing soccer as a way to connect to others in the same situation, I got involved with several international student organizations in order to meet students in my same situation.

I also relate to the book because even though my situation was not exactly like that of the refugees I can at least have a small idea of their feelings, of their confusion, of their difficulties when adapting to a new environment where almost anything, if not all, is different from what you are used to. One day, my GT teacher said that she admired those who studied in a language other than their own.

In that moment, I felt proud of myself, proud of my actions, proud of my decision of overcoming my fear and study at another country. I am actually one of those students whose native language is not English and still here I am studying Civil Engineering in one of the most honorable institutions of the United States of America.

In this experience I am learning what Luma and the boys learned in their experience as refugees. Oct 07, Mariana D'apuzzo rated it really liked it. Shannon Scott GT Outcast United represents the integration of different identities in the multi-cultured city of Clarkston. As a uniquely multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural association of people, Clarkston has reasons to be troubled by the urgency of intolerance4 and to consider its role in combating it.

This merging comes with different consequences. After coexisting every day with that person, you create a level of tolerance for the wellbeing of the relationship, especially if being from different backgrounds. It is the fact that people should have the disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior, no matter what the color of other people is.

Coach Luma makes the soccer players generate this tolerance between them. They left aside the clashing of cultures, and focused on each one of their good qualities.

They learned to communicate between on another, for it was vital during each game. They were united for a common purpose, on which never left their minds, and they even shared the same quality, that being playing soccer. Coach Luna did teach them loyalty between themselves, however she also taught them that to be a good player, besides having the skills, requires having sportsmanship.

This fellowship was determined on getting there, always with their values and principles going first. With this determination came one of the most important things in life, discipline. United States Marine crop defines discipline as " the instant willingness and obedience to all orders, respect for authority, self reliance and teamwork. The ability to do the right thing even when no one is watching or suffer the consequences of guilt which produces pain in our bodies, through pain comes discipline. Discipline had an immense roll in the part. However this can only be done if that will of doing things includes love and passion for it.

The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. The key was having a love for soccer and a will to win that no other team had. It is a mix of the values: I believe that the importance of these values was transmitted throughout the book. With these values, St. John also demonstrates the difficulties of adapting to such a city and how the clashing of cultures affects each one of the habitants. This group of kids face challenges, not only on the soccer field but also at school and home.

At the end they realize we are all human, and despite of our race and ethnicity, there is always the possibility of simply getting along and finding what positive qualities each one of us possess. Mar 20, Ethan Kulinski rated it really liked it. In the midst of a time where refugees can be attached to countless negative reputations, Outcasts United by Warren St. John shines light on the gritty and sometimes relentless experience of young refugees.

The story begins with Luma Mufleh, a native of Jordan, who previously decided that she would spend the rest of her life in Georgia. Instead of falling into the cate In the midst of a time where refugees can be attached to countless negative reputations, Outcasts United by Warren St. Instead of falling into the category of a sports story, Outcasts United can be seen as a statement of diversity and resiliency.

The team starts with a slim amount of equipment and a group of kids who slip into the habit of engaging with only their teammates that are similar to themselves. Luma assumes the job of not only head coach of the Fugees, but as a personal tutor and caregiver. By building unbreakable relationships with refugee families from Clarkston, she teaches more than just soccer. Mufleh becomes less of a coach and more of an individual that her players look up to as a lifelong influencer. She treats her players as her own children; doing things like purchasing groceries for their families and driving them to practices and games.

As refugee children, these athletes are in need of someone like this who sees more in them than a group of poor and unstable Africans. This book will remembered as more than just a sports story, but a wake up call of diversity and the brutality that refugees find themselves involved in. It carefully displays the collective efforts of Luma and her players to become better players, better students, and above all, better people. John has written an informative masterpiece that should be read by all.

This book made me feel like a spoiled first world moron, some of the time. Because I have so much, and most of the people in Outcasts United have nothing. I know the pain of being separated from my family and living in a foreign country, but I also know that I can call anyone in my family at any time, and could get on a plane tomorrow and go and see them, if I needed to. Refugees don't have that - they are completely cut off from their home countries by war, dictators, and the fact that for many This book made me feel like a spoiled first world moron, some of the time.

Refugees don't have that - they are completely cut off from their home countries by war, dictators, and the fact that for many of them, there's nobody left there to call or go back to anyway. And then to end up in the godforsaken corner of the world that is the outer suburbs of Atlanta, surrounded by other refugees who know as little about navigating the US as they do. Sorry, Georgians, but it's true.

And yet, Outcasts United isn't depressing or a downer. It's pretty funny and uplifting, much of the time. Luma is a hard-ass coach, but her approach really works with most of the boys who want to play for the Fugees. They truly respond to her rules, and flourish in a structured environment. It sounds like such a cliche, but she really gives these kids something to look forward to and work towards.

And it's not just the sport. The deal is they also have to do well at school, and Luma created a network of volunteers to help with that. Such an awesome and inspiring story and Warren St John tells it so well, you don't even have to be a soccer fan to enjoy it. I know about as much about soccer as I do about underwater hockey, but it wasn't hard to follow at all. Just a note to say thank you to the Common Reader committee at Missouri State University for picking such an excellent book.

I love the idea of a common reader and think Outcasts United is a great pick for our students. Luma and the Fugees are currently trying to build a facility so that refugee children will have a place to study, play sport, get help, and build a community. You can find out more here: Sep 14, Tyler Doliber rated it really liked it.

Outcasts United is a story about a misfit, rag-tag team of refugee kids coming from places far and wide, trying to escape war torn and poor countries, each one of the kids on the team has a unique backstory of where they came from. Some came from countries that were attacked by corrupt government officials that used the them as slaves. Their families, looking for new hope, move to America through a refugee agency and are taken to Clarkston, Georgia, once a prominent white town now houses a mult Outcasts United is a story about a misfit, rag-tag team of refugee kids coming from places far and wide, trying to escape war torn and poor countries, each one of the kids on the team has a unique backstory of where they came from.

Their families, looking for new hope, move to America through a refugee agency and are taken to Clarkston, Georgia, once a prominent white town now houses a multitude of different cultures. One day a women named Luma Mufleh noticed some kids playing a small game of soccer for fun in the parking lot of an apartment complex she gets an idea to create a soccer team for all of the refugee children living in Clarkston. Coming from a multitude of different cultures and speaking many languages, the kids of Clarkston are the new kids on the block. I am personally not a fan of soccer myself, I just never found interest in it.

When I picked up this book and read that is was about a misfit soccer team of refugees from all over the world, it kind of touched my heart in a way that made me think, this might be a good book, and man it was, the heartwarming but yet scary stories of where these refuge children have come from makes me think, wow it is nice to live in the country that I do. Every short story about each kid kept me turning the page and wanting more.

When I hit that last page, I wanted to know more, I wanted to know where these kids end up in their future, and what coach Luma does with her future. Outcasts United really shows how not every country in the world is perfect and there are many people living in places where not is all good and well. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to read this book over considering how well written it was. The middle school I work in chose this to be the summer reading book, and unfortunately I think that purpose for reading affected my enjoyment of the book.

If I had read it on my own, maybe I would have given it 3 stars, or at least 2. John creates by telling this story. However, reading it with the lens of whether or not middle schoolers would enjo The middle school I work in chose this to be the summer reading book, and unfortunately I think that purpose for reading affected my enjoyment of the book. However, reading it with the lens of whether or not middle schoolers would enjoy it and whether or not I would be able to use it in my class brought this down.

This version is adapted for young people, but none of the young people that I have talked to so far enjoyed it. It seems like it's a book about soccer, but really it isn't. It's about the aforementioned social commentary on immigrants and American culture, which isn't really that appealing to middle schoolers, even with the dumbed-down writing. Middle schoolers can see through the dumbed-down writing, by the way. They know that this is not a book that is meant for them, and no amount of "Woo! Not only is the writing dumbed down, it's just generally poor.

The first 91 pages are written in the third person, and then all of a sudden on page 92 it switches to the first person. If one read the introduction which most young readers skip over one can assume that it is the reporter telling the story, but it's not obvious. This mysterious reporter only inserts himself in one other chapter; the rest of the book continues without nary a mention of his role in telling the story.

This is confusing for middle schoolers and shows that this is not a very strong adaptation for young people and not very strong in its writing overall. Sep 21, Doug Beatty rated it it was amazing. I read this book for the maryland One Mayland One Book campaign. I was pleasantly suprised. I thought it was going to be more about soccer and I am not a sports fan. But although it was a bit about soccer, there was enough description to keep me involved but not too much to lose me.

What the book was really about was a woman from Jordan named Luma who comes to this country and only wants to play or coach soccer. She moves to a small town in Georgia that is home to communities of refugees from al I read this book for the maryland One Mayland One Book campaign. She moves to a small town in Georgia that is home to communities of refugees from almost 50 different ethnic backgrounds.

She forms a team and collects kids from many different nations, many of these nations fight among themselves, but the kids get along. And they place soccer. She is faced with many speedbumps on her way. She needs to find a good field for the kids to play. There is a wonderful field she can use, but the mayor refuses to allow the field for soccert. She ends up on a dirt field in a heavy crime area. The program does not have money so the kids need uniforms and shoes.

They have no soccer goals with which to practice. Luma is a tough headstrong woman who sets rules that must be followed or the kids are out. Many of the kids struggle with the rules. The families are sometimes transient and leave the area. But the book is worth reading. You learn about countries you may not know much about, and what it takes some families to survive. And how refugees see American when they finally arrive here. And how we should be kinder to our neighbors and people who seem unlike ourselves.

Maybe we just need common ground, like soccer, to bring us together. Nov 24, Amy rated it liked it Shelves: Immigrants from the world's latest conflicts settle, at least for a little while, in a suburb of Atlanta called Clarkston. Luma, a Jordanian woman educated in the U. The teams are called the Fugees as in "refugees". Large parts of the book though it's a very fast read are play-by-play details of games and scrimmages, and descriptions of what Immigrants from the world's latest conflicts settle, at least for a little while, in a suburb of Atlanta called Clarkston.

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