Kickin' It With Obama
By Jennifer Jamar
Sixteen year old Abdiaziz Amin has already found a skill that will take him soaring through the future. At a tender age, Amin discovered his talent for soccer and has been taking steps to perfect his talent ever since. “I play because I’m passionate about soccer. I feel that I have a gift. By being active and playing 24/7, it betters my skills and it keeps me fit and healthy,” says Amin. His love for soccer is conveyed in his passionate words and his persistent, eminent smile.
Amin was selected on July 13, 2009 to join forces with the Columbus Crew and immediately he found himself in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. with Columbus’ Major League Soccer team, the Columbus Crew. Some of the players on his soccer team, The Olives, were invited to join the Columbus Crew members to the White House. There, the Columbus Crew members had the opportunity to present the MLS Cup to President Obama. As if that was not enough, Amin and the other soccer players toured the East Wing of the White House and listened to President Obama give an encouraging speech to the Crew members. The guests toured the White House Rose Garden while the Marine Corps musical ensemble played. Amin also met Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Mary Jo Kilroy during his visit.
However, Abdi Amin’s team and the Columbus Crew also used this trip as an opportunity to give back to the local community. They visited Truesdell Elementary School’s Health and Wellness Clinic. This was not Amin’s first meetin
g with the generous Crew members. Amin has been involved with the Crew since 2006, when he joined The Olives. Through his involvement with The Olives, his team was able to receive free Columbus Crew game tickets and game supplies. Later, Amin and The Olives gave back to the Crew by helping out various Columbus communities by picking up trash amongst other services. According to Abdi Amin, soccer will continue to have a great impact on his future, “I’m not in it for the money or material things. I do it and will continue to play soccer because I love it. If I could play soccer for no pay at all that would be fine with me.”