On Saturday, May 10, Polish Streetsoccer Championship of Circles Promoting Sobriety and Groups Preventing Homelessness took place in the Market Square in Wroclaw. 12 groups from different regions of Poland took part in the tournament.

The St. Brother Albert Aid Society was represented by three teams: one from branch in Gdansk (team Gdansk), the other two from Wroclaw (teams Noclegownia and Bogedaina). Other teams were: Monar Babigoszcz, Monar Roznowice, Monar-Markot Roznowice, Monar Nowolipsk, Abstynenci 07 Poznan, Hetmania Poznan, Porozumienie na Rzecz Trzezwosci Warszawa, Klub Abstynenta ,,Serce” Zdunska Wola and PKPS from Bydgoszcz.

The meeting started at 10 am. The special guests – minister Jaroslaw Duda and the president of Garman Company wished the players to have a good time during the championships. The chairman of St. Brother Albert Aid Society branch in Wroclaw Aleksander Pindral has officially opened the championships  The first person to kick the ball was Janusz Sybis – the icon of Slask Wroclaw.

Initially the teams played in four groups, two victorious teams from each group advanced to quarterfinals and those who took third place were still competing for places 9-12.
Our teams were very brave. Noclegownia after two victories won in the group and waited for the opponent in the next round. Bogedaina team had a much more difficult task since one of their matches was lost and the other ended with a tie. But in both matches the team presented great determination to succeed and even when Bogedaina was losing by 3 or 4 goals, they were still able to finish with a tie. Thanks to the better aggregate scoreline the team outdistanced the vice champion Markot Roznowice. The team from Gdansk appeared to be weaker than other two teams representing St. Brother Albert Aid Society and even though they were doing their best they still didn’t manage to score any goal in their group. One of the reasons could be the fact that the team from Gdansk had no reserves.

Sensation in the quarter finals! Bogedaina won 4:2 after a hard fight with the team who was much higher in the classification - Abstynenci from Poznan. Noclegownia, representing our Society was also glad about the victory. Other teams that got through to the semi finals were Hetmania Poznan and Monar Roznowice.

Two teams which won in the semi-finals were Noclegownia and Hetmania. The final match was scheduled for 8:15 pm. Crowds of football fans, and tourists who were sitting in the Market Square at the time, came to see the match. The beer gardens have suddenly turned empty which proved to be the success of the event as promoting sobriety. The bleachers were full and the football fans were surrounding the field. Both the organizers and the judges were asking the spectators to make more space around the field and step aside but their efforts proved futile.
The final match was a real show of street soccer at the highest level, which was no surprise since as many as 10 players were either former of present representatives of Poland in the World Cup. First half of the match finished with a tie 1:1. When everyone was prepared either for playoff or penalty shoot-out, the team from Wroclaw scored two goals and won the match. Score 3:1! The players and the football fans were thrilled. Wroclaw has won!

A moment later all the groups, no matter whether they won or lost the match, were thanking each other and the spectators for such a good time and great fun. The President of Sports and Recreation Office, Adam Stocki, gave prizes to the best teams on behalf of the President of Wroclaw. Jaroslaw Duda, the senator and Secretary of State, has also presented the winners with a cup. It would be hard, if not impossible to organize the Football Championships at the Market Square in Wroclaw without those people.
But one cannot forget about the key figures, i.e. the players who were very grateful for the chance to participate in the championships. The team from Babigoszcz seemed to have won the hearts of the spectators. Those young boys from Monar where they continue their rehab program, showed us that it is possible to have a good time without alcohol.
The coach Adam Hyzyk observed the players during the matches and chose 15 boys (4  from Wroclaw) to represent Poland in the Homeless World Cup this year. Eight of them is going to take part in the World Cup in Melbourne, Australia.
See you next year somewhere in Poland!

Maciej Gudra

Final Classification:

1. Wroclaw Noclegownia
2. Hetmania Poznan
3. Wroclaw Bogedaina
4. Monar Roznowice
5. Monar Babigoszcz
6. Poznan 07 Abstynenci
7. Zdunska Wola
8. Markot Roznowice
9. Warszawa
10. Gdansk
11. Monar Nowolipsk
12. Bydgoszcz