Tampa teen turns act of compassion into unexpected opportunity for Haitian Girls' Soccer team

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - On a soccer field inside ESPN’s Wide World of Sports, 19 Haitian soccer players link arms in a huddle, singing, clapping and dancing together.

The sound of their voices will uplift your heart. They are a team of Haitian girls who've survived together through their friendship, family and faith. But perhaps it's they game they love, football as they call it, that's delivered them through the worst.

"We were practicing when it happened. We were doing physical movements... then everything shaking started," said Alexandra Coby, speaking through a Creole-speaking translator at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports.

The earthquake changed the lives of soccer goalie Coby and her teamates,the Haitian Girls' sixteen-and-under team. But it didn't stop them from competing in a World Cup qualifying tournament in Costa Rica where a hug from a Tampa teenager thrust the Haitian team onto the world's stage.

"We met halfway and shook hands and we noticed, the U.S. team noticed, the Haitian goalkeeper was on the ground at her goal, crying," said Heaberlin.

Tampa teenager Bryane Heaberlin didn't know the hug that happened next would be such a big deal. Still the Berkeley Preparatory junior parlayed those news headlines into a non-profit raising thousands to bring the Haitian team to Orlando's Disney to compete again.

"It's a ride. It goes up and up and up, you know. It's so different than back home," said Haitian Head Coach Gaspar D’Alexis.

He says it's hard to explain how the trip has transformed his team.

"You have girls that have no house…Whatever they have, it's a blessing so this it's a blessing," said D’Alexis.

Hearberlin's still working to turn the blessing into another opportunity for the Haitian Girls’ team, a second trip so the team can play in front of U.S. college scouts.

"Regardless of what happened, we remain as a team," said Coby.

Faith, friendship and family may have sustained them. But you might argue it's the game they love that's delivered 19 girls through the worst.

http://many-hearts-one-goal.org/