Grateful to be playing Glenbard North soccer

Long praised as a land of opportunity, in recent years the United States' status has taken a few knocks.

Glenbard North's soccer-playing brothers Livre, Best and Ode Emena and their adopted brother Isaya Ebengo are grateful, however, to taste some milk and honey.

Thanks to World Relief efforts these refugees from the unstable Democratic Republic of Congo arrived in Glendale Heights nearly four years ago with their father, Ramazani, mother, Sangani, and four younger siblings.

Domestic doom and gloom seems almost fashionable nowadays, but it's hard to fathom what these boys faced in their childhood and nomadic trek to the United States.

"We have some family who we've never, ever seen and with stuff going on back there it's tough, it's so tough. So tough. But at the moment I don't think there's anything we can do about it, it's just the way it is," said Livre Emena, the 17-year-old senior's upbeat demeanor briefly slipping into despair.

"We're very lucky to be here, very lucky," he said. "There's a lot of people that were in our situations but didn't make it. Some of them, I'm pretty sure they died."

People such as Ebengo's father, shot when Isaya was 5. Of his mother the 19-year-old senior is unclear: "She left."

Institutions like school, church and regulation soccer fields - where the 8-5-1 Panthers are led by Livre Emena's 14 goals at striker - have become sanctuary and a new normal.

"I like playing soccer all the time, especially against teams that are better than ours because I like challenges," said junior center midfielder Best Emena, 16.

Challenges. They've survived enough of those to merit simply a comfy sofa next to a fully stocked refrigerator. Think of the dramas Hollywood has released. That's them, "District Nine" minus the aliens.

An ongoing civil war in the Congo (some 6 million lives claimed according to the British Broadcasting Corporation) had the Emenas on the move from the southeast, near the town of Fizi close to Lake Tanganyika.

Traveling on foot, in trains, in trucks hiding under stacks of sugar cane, they navigated through Tanzania and Mozambique to first one and then another refugee camp.

"Our dad, he left, sort of trying to find a living, and so he left us behind with our mom," Best Emena said. "And then we had to try to find a way to sort of meet in South Africa."

Once removed from the Congo's violence things got little better in the camps even under United Nations involvement. Livre Emena described an oppressive "xenophobia," a fear or hatred of the foreign. "Gangsters," he said, pelted them with rocks. Like they say, no job, no prospects, and barely if any schooling for a bad five years.

The boys passed time by kicking a makeshift ball. Can't call it a soccer ball since it was a wad of plastic bags fastened with rope.

"You have people living in a shelter with no food, no electricity," Livre said. "The people inside the shelter don't work, sometimes we used to go just eating once a day, the whole day. So that's when my parents decided to move."

World Relief, which works with churches and the U.S. Department of State to resettle people referred by the United Nations Refugee Agency, got the Emena family to Texas, where they stayed about a month. The Chicago Christadelphians in Lombard moved them to Illinois.

"It's crazy what they've been through compared to what we grow up with, it's polar opposites," said Glenbard North senior midfielder Danny Koeller, son of Panthers coach Gregg Koeller and one of the players closest to the four.

The boys have flourished on and off the soccer field, taking A.P. classes, reaping DuPage Valley Conference All-Academic honors, attending their first homecoming dance this fall. Livre Emena was pumped to watch the first presidential debate, a homework assignment for English class.

"I think they are relishing the opportunity to where some kids in this country dread the school thing," Gregg Koeller said. "I don't want to speak for them, but they're just eating up the ability to be able to go to school. They are just gobbling it up. It's unbelievable how far they've come."

Hardships thrust upon them have fallen away. Isaya Ebengo, who plays an outside back for the Panthers along with 14-year-old Ode Emena, is the most physically imposing of the four, not tall but muscular. In the Congo, Isaya intimidated most would-be attackers he as walked miles to and from water supplies bearing a pair of 5-gallon containers.

That is, most attackers.

"I used to fight a lot back in Africa," he said. "Some kids (here) fight, but at least for me it's a stupid reason to be fighting for, it's just immaturity. The other way is, like, respect. With my teammates, we might shout at each other sometimes in the games but it all goes away because we get along and, yeah, we have that respect."

Opponents take notice. Naperville North coach Jim Konrad has heard his players discussing the Glenbard North players when considering postgame sportsmanship award honorees, a DuPage Valley Conference soccer custom.

Beginning with what Konrad called "breathtaking" speed, especially by Livre, it's clear they can play soccer. What Konrad appreciates particularly with the boys he's seen over the years is their improved footwork and clever play.

"Obviously they're athletically gifted, but also their games have grown as well," the coach said. "The other thing is they're just classy kids. Kids with that kind of talent oftentimes can start sending the wrong message, like, 'Guys, give me the ball,' be less than good teammates."

Ode Emena's favorite thing here in the states?

"Being part of a team," he said.

"They're great kids," said Charlie Kerby, a Wheaton Warrenville South senior who plays against Glenbard North in the fall and with Livre and Best Emena on the Kopion FC soccer club otherwise. Ode plays for Addison United while Ebengo has experimented with track and field.

"When they first came to the club they were definitely different culturally than a lot of the kids on our team so there was an adjustment there, but as soon as you got to know them they were great kids, really hard working not only on the field but the work ethic they have in soccer carries over into school. They put their best foot forward in everything that they do," said Kerby, whose own Tigers squad contains Hispanic, Asian and African players.

Xenophobia loses to teamwork and camaraderie every time on the soccer field. The four Glenbard North brothers traveled a hard road to get here. They are seeing the rewards.

"Being part of the team here, it makes me very happy because I get to know the people better and you sort of grow with them all these four years," Best Emena said. "It's a nice feeling to know that you have these people that care about you and that you care about them. Not just on the field but off the field, too."

The littlest Spartan

The good news for the St. Francis boys golf team is it advanced out of regionals to play at the Class 2A St. Viator sectional on Oct. 10.

The bad news is the season is over for 6-year-old Brody Baresel, son of Spartans coach Greg Baresel and known as an honorary assistant coach and team photographer.

"He's right there with me helping with the kids on the course in the matches," said Greg Baresel, whose squad seeks a fourth straight berth in the state finals and finished second last year in 2A. Returners from that team are Ryan Keefe, Kevin Doherty, Logan Rayburn and Luke Armbrust, who shot a school-record 66 at the Chicago Catholic League tournament Sept. 29 at Cog Hill.

"The team is really good with him," Baresel said. "For a bunch of high school kids around a 6-year-old, they really like having him there, they give him high-fives. He's a part of the team."

The state series is a different animal, and Brody's last round came Sept. 27 in a match against Wheaton Academy and Marmion. At that match Brody advised his father, the coach, that a Spartans player should hit a 3-wood instead of a driver to avoid water.

Some day soon Baresel will have another assistant, 2-year-old Nolan.

"He asks every day to go to the golf course," Greg Baresel said. "He'll ask in the morning to go golfing and if he can't it's a major meltdown. I guess it's in our blood."

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

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