by Ari Robin McKenna

Recently, at Arena Sports Magnuson, Edgar played another Tuesday night game for his squad, Street Soccer Seattle — made up of players who are or have been recently on the city’s streets or in its shelters. To onlookers, the only thing that suggested anything more than a game of soccer was taking place was that Edgar seemed to be smiling, imperceptibly. When he was knocked to the turf by the opposition, or when a pass arrived late, Edgar’s calm remained.

Street Soccer Seattle lost their match despite Edgar’s four goals, but looking at the players, you wouldn’t know it. Some of them are tired, yet the group promptly congregates around a table as coaches Chris Burfeind, Yoel Ortiz, and program alum and mentor Carlos Vasquez review the match, in Spanish and English, interspersing life lessons with takeaways from the evening’s game.

It becomes obvious that the score in Tuesday night’s match is secondary; even when Street Soccer Seattle players lose a match, they are honing in on winning at the bigger game of life. And for Edgar — after what he’s been through — there are plenty of other reasons to smile.