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[[A soccer academy in Burtonsville, Maryland, founded by a Togolese immigrant is changing lives and training children to be stars on and off the pitch. VOA’s Arzouma Kompaore has the story.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptUS-TOGO SOCCER COACH
HEADLINE: Togolese Immigrant Hopes to Shape Future of US Soccer
TEASER: Maryland soccer academy hoping to kick-start nation's journey to becoming top in the sport
PUBLISHED AT: 07/02/2023 at 2:45 PM
BYLINE: Arzouma Kompaore
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: BURTONSVILLE, MARYLAND
VIDEOGRAPHER: Arzouma Kompaore
VIDEO EDITOR: Arzouma Kompaore
SCRIPT EDITORS: Enochs, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S): ORIGINAL VOA
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 2:56
VID APPROVED BY: KE
TYPE: TVPKG/RADIO
EDITOR NOTES: All SOTs are introduced, it works for radio. For questions and final review, send it back to Africa Division’s senior editor, Salem Solomon, email: salemsolomon@voanews.com, Africa Division’s executive producer, Betty Ayoub, email: bayoub@voanews.com.))
((INTRO))
[[A soccer academy in Burtonsville, Maryland, founded by a Togolese immigrant is changing lives and training children to be stars on and off the pitch. VOA’s Arzouma Kompaore has the story.]]
((NARRATOR))
The players of the Elite Soccer Youth Development Academy, or E-S-Y-D-A, are taking the pitch with enthusiasm.
Their passion for the game creates an atmosphere filled with energy and excitement.
[[Radio track: Emmanuel Hoinyiglo is a student at the academy. He says that he loves soccer and that when he plays, people cheer for him and he gets to win trophies.]]
((Emmanuel Hoinyiglo, ESYDA Student)) ((Male, in French))
“When I play soccer, and I score a goal, it makes me get trophies. And they clap for me.”
((NARRATOR))
Emmanuel is not the only student who wants to win. But this academy is about more than just trophies and goals; it’s a platform for instilling discipline, creating lasting
friendships, and fostering an openness that goes beyond the soccer field, says Emmanuel’s father, Joel Hoinyiglo.
[Radio: He says the direction of coaches and organizers is followed, meaning fair play and no violence. The spirit should also be reflected in the students' future, he says, for a more unified society where there is security, harmony and prosperity.]]
((Joel Hoinyiglo, Parent of Student)) ((Male, in French))
“We are following the direction of the coaches and organizers here. No violence, fair play. The spirit that we see should also be reflected in their future, so that we can have a more unified society where there is security, harmony and all will prosper."
((NARRATOR))
As an immigrant from Togo, Coach Agbegnigan Amouzou, known by his nickname “Fofo,” started the academy twenty years ago. Amouzou says his professional soccer background and unwavering commitment to youth development won the community over.
[[Radio: Amouzou says that when he started the academy 20 years ago, he faced skepticism and was called lazy. But, he says, as he and others studied the field and realized that soccer could be an instrument to combat poverty, delinquency, and substance abuse, perceptions began to change.]]
((Agbegnigan Amouzou, Academy Founder)) ((Male, in French))
“When I started ESYDA 20 years ago, I faced skepticism and was called lazy. But as we studied the field and realized that soccer could be an instrument to combat poverty, delinquency, and substance abuse, perceptions began to change.
((NARRATOR))
Amouzou’s impact has spanned three generations of students. He says former academy students, now adults with families and careers, return every summer to help their former coaches.
[[Radio: He says playing soccer may not guarantee millions, but it has the power to make a significant difference, changing an entire nation or community. He says that' is what drives him — sharing family, children and the well-being of others. That is what soccer has given him.]]
((Agbegnigan Amouzou, Academy Founder)) ((Male, in French))
“Playing soccer may not guarantee millions, but it has the power to make a significant difference, changing an entire nation or community. That's what drives me — sharing, family, children, and the well-being of others, that's what soccer has given me.”
((NARRATOR))
As anticipation builds toward the 2026 World Cup, the academy continues to train future soccer players, embodying the belief that the sport is not just about competition but also about personal growth and community building.
((Arzouma Kompaore, VOA News, Burtonsville, Maryland))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Burtonsville, Maryland
Embargo DateJuly 2, 2023 15:07 EDT
Byline
Arzouma Kompaore, VOA NeWS
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
