On a sweltering Saturday evening at Frank D Zaccaria Memorial Park in Woodland Park, approximately 60 young athletes gathered for practice with the Palestino Soccer Academy, their dedication evident despite the oppressive heat of early June. For these children training in Passaic County, just a short distance from the FIFA NY/NJ Stadium, soccer represents far more than athletic competition.
The sentiment expressed by 13-year-old Taim Nadin during a water break captures the profound significance the sport holds for many participants. The young player, originally from Qatar, articulated the central role soccer plays in his life, emphasizing that without the game, existence itself would feel meaningless.
The Palestino Soccer Academy was established three years ago by Coach Omar Abdulaziz, who envisioned the program as a means to educate participants about soccer's role in Palestinian culture while addressing the emotional toll that distant conflicts were taking on local youth. The club, which initially focused on the Palestinian-American community in Northern New Jersey, has since expanded to welcome children from all backgrounds.
Abdulaziz, who immigrated from the West Bank to Puerto Rico as a teenager during the 1980s, recognized the emotional struggles many young people were experiencing. Speaking in Spanish, he explained that the children's frustrations were palpable and their emotional well-being was compromised. For these youth, soccer provides a crucial respite—a moment of tranquility that allows them to temporarily detach from difficult realities.
The academy's participants have found inspiration in international soccer stars, particularly Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old striker for Spain. Fourteen-year-old Obaida Al Amleh, who was born in the West Bank and spent part of his childhood there, described his admiration for Yamal's ability to maintain complete focus during matches, blocking out all distractions.
Yamal's influence extends beyond his athletic prowess. The child of immigrants to Spain, Yamal recently took a public stance against anti-Muslim chants at Spanish soccer games. When his club, FC Barcelona, won Spain's La Liga championship last month, the star player waved a Palestinian flag during the celebratory parade. The video circulated widely on social media, and images from that moment now serve as wallpaper on many of the New Jersey players' cellphones.
For Obaida, who lost five close family friends in an Israeli airstrike, the gesture held particular significance. He characterized Yamal's action as especially meaningful for those enduring the most difficult circumstances. When Obaida received news of his friends' deaths, he found himself drawn to the soccer field despite the absence of scheduled practice, needing to process his grief through physical activity.
The young athlete contacted teammates and spent hours playing continuously at the park. While the weight of loss remains constant, soccer provides him with a mechanism for processing complex emotions. His succinct observation—that one can either play ball on the pitch or cry at home—encapsulates the therapeutic role the sport serves for many academy members.
The Palestino Soccer Academy continues to operate in Woodland Park, offering young athletes in Passaic County a structured environment where they can pursue athletic excellence while finding community and emotional support. For participants like Taim Nadin, who declared that his only concerns are faith and soccer, the academy represents an essential anchor in their lives.
As these young players train in Northern New Jersey, they carry with them both the universal dreams of aspiring athletes and the particular experiences of their community, finding in soccer a language that transcends geography and circumstance.
