UNO student Mohamed Bamba’s journey to America made easier because of love for soccer
OMAHA, Neb. (BVM) — Soccer has always been Mohamed Bamba’s true passion.
He was exposed to the sport at a young age growing up on the Ivory Coast where soccer is the most popular sport.
Then Bamba moved to Omaha, Neb. when he was about 13 years old and heading into junior high.
“Starting junior high is a little nerve-wracking for everyone, coming here from a whole different continent is a whole other story of nerve-wracking,” Bamba said. “I remember coming here and my first day of junior high in America like it was yesterday. Everyone looked and talked so differently here than back home.”
After starting junior high, Bamba had to improve his English to better comprehend others and help others better understand him.
“Back in Africa I was taught English but not nearly as much as I was taught here,” Bamba said. “I had to learn a lot more English than I expected and I had to learn all the slang and stuff here too.”
Being in junior high, many other kids would speak slang such and this was a struggle for Mohamed to understand. But soccer was something Mohamed always understood, and he could turn to the sport when he needed a break. It also helped him in other ways.
“Soccer is how I got my first friends in America and it always allowed me to make new friends along the way too,” Bamba said.
Many people make friends from playing sports and for Bamba it was a great way for him to get a sense of belonging, as he left many of his childhood friends back in Africa. “Leaving my friends and some of my family behind was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in my life,” Bamba said.
Mohamed came to Omaha with just his father and his two brothers.
“On the flight here I was terrified; I didn’t really know what to expect,” Bamba said.
Despite everything Mohamed went through, soccer always stayed with him and it gave him a purpose. Bamba spends a lot of his free time with the sport either playing, refereeing or volunteer coaching.
“Soccer just keeps me going and makes me forget about whatever is going on in my life in the moment,” Bamba said. “Being able to play, ref, and coach, it makes me very blessed and makes me happy and excited doing it.”
Bamba has played soccer since he was a toddler and continued playing it when he came to Omahain junior high and high school. He now plays just for fun as a hobby with some friends and former teammates. He also refs and volunteers as a coach through the YMCA.
Soccer will always be a part of Bamba and his life journey. Soccer makes him feel at home, and reminds him of being back on the Ivory Coast.
