I Played In The Homeless World Cup

US Team, Homeless World Cup, Copenhagen, orato.com

Team USA at the 2007 Homeless World Cup in Copenhagen. Photo: Street Soccer 945

Once you take a blow like that and you're down to nothing, you gotta build your self-esteem back up.

Ronnie Miller , Brooklyn, New York

Date Posted: 09/05/07

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The Homeless World Cup is a catalyst for change through the development of street soccer worldwide, creating maximum social impact for the players involved - the socially excluded, homeless people and people living in poverty. More than 75 per cent of the players involved in the program significantly change their lives forever. Ron Miller, 25, earned his way on the U.S. national team through hard work and dedication to self improvement off and on the field. While his teammates far surpassed him in soccer ability, his coaches say Ron is a true leader of the team and an inspiration to others. Here is his story.

I'm from Brooklyn, New York. I lived there my whole life. I'm not really comfortable with telling you how I ended up on the street.

I have no experience playing soccer. I just came out there and started playing down at the Urban Ministry, and I just stuck with it. A buddy of mine was already playing soccer there, and he introduced me. I wound up joining in the practices and then I just stuck with it.

It helped me to be more of a people person, interacting with others. On the team, you meet so many other people with different backgrounds and you have to learn how to adapt to these people. The coaches there are also a great help, as far as getting things done, helping you set up interviews - right now, I got steady work and a steady place to stay, so everything has been positive. It's been a good turn around.

Once you take a blow like that and you're down to nothing, you gotta build your self-esteem back up. It's all about building your confidence, with your teammates cheering you on, giving you different pointers on and off the field.

Being out on the street, I've seen a lot of things. There are a lot of young people that are homeless, and some that just have nothing to do with their time. If they get involved something like this and it's positive and will build them up to be a better person, no matter what they've been in the past, then I think it's very much needed.

This year, we traveled to Denmark, Copenhagen for the Homeless World Cup.