Dakota County T.C. soccer program plays a large role in Ugandan brothers’ journey to overcome adversity

Geofrey Kalanzi

The diversity of soccer is one of the main attributes that pulled me into the game as a young adult. Over the years, I have marveled at the stories I’ve heard that were spawned from the game of soccer and manifested in the people who play the game, coach the game and and support the game. Soccer opened my eyes and therefore opened my heart. I think this has happened for many people in the U.S. that have embraced the game. Soccer supporters in the U.S. and more specifically in Minnesota are a special group. They are not exclusive and for the most part, don’t believe the world revolves around the United States, but see the U.S. as privileged. Perhaps because of the largeness of the sport, we see that soccer doesn’t belong to the U.S. just as the world does not belong to the U.S. We have global friends and a global view.

We lost everything. My mother was a successful businesswoman and my father worked as a vehicle mechanic. After they died, we had to find our own way.
Geofrey Kalanzi

This story is one that makes me proud to live in a country where we’ve had the ability to help others from around the world and have actually acted by assisting those that are less fortunate than us. It makes me proud that there are many involved with the sport that have big hearts and care about their brothers and sisters of the world. We embrace a sport that generally embraces the world and not just those that look like us or act like us. This story involves brothers and a younger sister, who lived in a continent half a world away, whose parents died leaving the boys and their sister orphans. It’s a far too common story in Africa these days. Thanks to people who helped take the boys into Home Again orphanage in their home country of Uganda, and to the soccer talents of Geofrey Kalanzi, he and his brother through fate, kindness and perhaps divine intervention, ended up in contact with Cam Stoltz, mens head coach of the Dakota County Technical College (DCTC).

In itself a human network, soccer is a global game of great perspective, but ironically the sport also shows us how small the world really is. Geoff and Moses are here to play soccer. Their continuing life stories and how they connect to our community are the true measure of their contribution to our college. Even as they score goals, stop goals and shine on the field, what they bring to the community off the field offers by far the superior value.
Cam Stoltz, head coach DCTC

DCTC was instrumental in helping Geoffrey and older brother Moses to start building a new life for themselves. DCTC is a two year school offering college scholarships. Stoltz told Inside Minnesota Soccer, “While the overwhelming purpose of the DCTC soccer program serves local and regional students who play soccer, some international players have wanted to come here because of their ties to Minnesota.”

Stoltz also said, “In itself a human network, soccer is a global game of great perspective, but ironically the sport also shows us how small the world really is. Geoff and Moses are here to play soccer. Their continuing life stories and how they connect to our community are the true measure of their contribution to our college. Even as they score goals, stop goals and shine on the field, what they bring to the community off the field offers by far the superior value.”

Stoltz also talked about the ability for 2 year colleges like DCTC to give out scholarships, “Our scholarships, like all athletic scholarships are “grants in aid.” They are used to bring students to our college who would normally not attend. Through this investment, our students, college and community receive the greatest benefit. These superb student athletes are just two examples of soccer making an excellent educational environment even better.”

To read the excellent DCTC article, please go here.