INDIANAPOLIS — The workouts are back. The matches will be back eventually.
For the Indy Eleven, including midfielders Tyler Gibson and Drew Conner, waiting is the hardest part.
“We just sit and wait,” Conner said. “And play soccer. I guess that's the difference between us and others, right? People some people are doing their jobs from home and we're practicing in small groups and just recently into groups of 10.”
Until the games return, their uninspiring time has turned into anything but.
Following the lead of friend and former University of Connecticut star Stephen Schirra, Gibson and Conner have joined a group aimed at getting kids involved in the game, a worldwide challenge to show love of soccer.
About 5 years ago, Schirra told Gibson and Conner about a program called "Around the Worlds,” which takes the game of soccer to underserved youth on a global scale.
With a little extra free time, Gibson sent in his video and Conner sent in his.
“It started off with him telling us to send in a video of juggling, and see how many you get,” Conner said. “And I'll send it to all my kids. So, it started by us helping a friend out, and all of a sudden we started getting these videos back from all over the world, it was pretty cool to see.”
Sure enough, the videos started coming in from everywhere – Senegal, Kenya, Indonesia, Costa Rica.
The business of soccer will return soon enough. For now, from Indy, to the world. Inspiring beyond borders.
