Winnipeg's 1st Egyptian soccer team 'a dream come true,' captain says
CBC
When John Shehata thinks back to his childhood in Winnipeg, he remembers all the hours he spent on the soccer pitch with other kids from the city's Egyptian community.
So when the opportunity came up this year to start Winnipeg's first Egyptian soccer team, it felt perfect.
"To take that childhood experience and kind of build it into a team … it really was a dream come true to me," he said on CBC Manitoba's Weekend Morning Show.
The team took to the field for the first time a few weeks ago at the annual Manitoba African Cup of Nations soccer tournament. And while they were knocked out in the quarter-finals, team captain Shehata said he's optimistic about the future.
"Overall, it was a great first season. Honestly, we got a win. We made it … into [the] playoffs," he said.
"And I hope in the years to come, it's a growing community that … will bring a dream to other kids as well."
Shehata said he even tried to incorporate some Arabic into the game for the team, which included several non-African players.