Diego worked as mortgage broker, but lost his job, then his apartment. At the shelter his wallet was stolen WITH HIS GREEN CARD IN IT. Diego got depressed, became labeled an anger problem at the shelter. Then coach Murray got the first NY team together. At first all Diego's frustration showed on the field. Ref Dave Tyahla stopped him to tell him he was ruining his talent by focusing on the bad calls. It really got through to Diego. he had great tournament, helped his teammates and made the US National team. This pic captures him in that moment. Afterwards SSUSA sorted out his docs and got him his work papers. Now Diego works in catering, has his apartment, and is taking classes at Long Island Community College. It was beautiful the way the NY teammates pushed Diego forward, not jealous, but proud of him. Diego's success really gave a lot of others hope. That's why Diego is a number 10.

Wes Colter from Sacramento has gone from juvenile corrections and substance abuse to hometown here, leader, and role model. His Sacramento Squad won the Fair Play Trophy and embodied the best in human Spirit at the 2009 SSUSA Cup. Like so many other SSUSA stars, Wes now counsels others dealing with the tough cards he was dealt in life. The SSUSA national team is lucky to be backed up by such a man. Wes is a number 10 on and off the field. We salute him!

Ebony is the only woman on the US National Team. In fact, she is the first woman to make the team since two women played for the 2005 team. Ebony has been homeless since she was 18 and most recently has been staying in an abandoned building. In Charlotte, she has worked with her coach/mentor over the last year. She finished a goodwill job training program in the Spring and has held down her first job ever for the past few months. Through soccer she's been able to channel her love for sports and competition into real personal progress. "I don't know where I'd be without Street Soccer," Ebony said in a recent interview. Where would street soccer be without number 10s lke you, Ebony? Congrats on a year of progress and personal growth beyond what others expected of you.  

Jorge met his mother for the first time when he was 10 years old. When he was 7 he had seen a picture of her, but he still didn't recognize her. She left him in Guatemala to go the states with her boyfriend when Jorge was 2.  So when he finally met her in Los Angeles things started poorly and never got better. Jorge, by his own admission, had anger problem. According to Jorge his mother felt, "she didn't raise me, so she wasn't responsible for me. I would just leave and do thing I wasn't suppose to." Jorge spent from age 12 to 16 in a juvenile corrections facility. Then from 16 to 18 he lived in a group home, where he said the therapy helped him. At 19 he had aged out. His mother wouldn't have him but she kept his back for a couple months. During that time Jorge slept in the park mostly. The main thing he really enjoyed was playing soccer. He ended up joining Johnny Figueroa's SSUSA team from Jovenes. At that time started to rent the living room of his uncles apartment. Just last month Jorge began renting his own room in a boarding house. He works part time as an outreach worker to other youth like himself. He enrolled in school but he needs a night job to be able to attend so he's trying to find work in security and his plan his to enroll for the next semester. His goals is to finish a four year college with a degree in accounting. Jorge's maturity belies his age. He's learned how to look out for himself, but when he plays soccer you see the young joyful kid who just turned 20. Last week Jorge made the SSUSA national team and will travel to Milan in September. He is our number 10 this week. Pleas consider a donation of 10 dollars or more and be a number 10 with Jorge online right now.

Margaret fights as hard as she laughs. Both abilities served her well in overcoming drug addiction, codependency, and homeless. More than that Margaret reconnected to her family, and has worked for three years now as a custodian at Johnson C. Smith College. Playing soccer connected her back to her glory days running track in high school. As Margaret about the soccer team, and she likes to talk not about the games but a team hike we took. We climbed small foothill, which she calls a mountain. "It was a mountain, Lawrence." She says with her hearty laugh. "I didn't think I could do it, but I did climb it didn't I?" Oh yes you did Margaret, and that's why you are a number 10.

Pop learned sport, struggled off the street, and began training to be a nurse this past fall. Pop scored a goal in the HWC in Denmark in the final match. He scored many more friends. I remember walking back to the dorms and seeing him kneeling down to help a danish child put the chain back on his bike. It was after a match and pop was carrying the American flag. Now that's being an ambassador!