Friendship Is Forged Over Love of Soccer

Gently dribbling the ball from foot to foot, 12-year-old Casey Schmidt crossed the uneven grass at Borchard Park, dodging an older player and dashing away with the soccer ball.

Turning quickly, he flashed a giant smile at his newfound friend, Charles Anchang, a visiting Cameroonian he met during the World Cup.

“I just play soccer all the time,” Casey said. “That’s my dream.”

The Newbury Park boy and 28-year-old Cameroonian would seemingly have nothing in common. But they share a deep love for soccer and the World Cup team from the tiny west African nation. And out of that common bond has blossomed a friendship bridging age, race and cultures.

The unlikely pair met weeks ago during the World Cup tournament, where Anchang and four friends opened a booth at Soccerfest displaying artifacts and clothing from their small African nation.

On Tuesday, the Cameroonians joined Casey and his family for an American-style barbecue in Newbury Park, swapping soccer stories over burgers and hot dogs.

“They are going to be my friends for life,” Casey said, putting his arm around Anchang, who traveled from the northwestern region of Cameroon to watch his nation’s team play in the international tournament.

“Casey is my younger brother,” Anchang said, smiling warmly at the boy sitting next to him in the park. “There’s some attraction that brings us together. Maybe it’s soccer, maybe we’re just people.”

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It was through soccer that Casey discovered the young African nation, which he now adores even though he has never been there. Four years ago, Cameroon’s Cinderella team shocked the soccer world by advancing to the quarterfinals in the World Cup. That was when Casey--then 8--found his dream team.

“The Cameroon team has so much joy and passion for the game,” he said. His buddies wonder about his interest in the obscure team. “They’re always asking, ‘Why Cameroon?’ It was a miracle when they made it in ’90.”

So when the Cameroon national team arrived in Oxnard for its pre-World Cup training this spring, Casey was among the most faithful fans on the sidelines.

“I was thrilled,” Casey said. “I was there almost everyday.”

During the practices at Oxnard College, Casey persuaded the Cameroon team members to sign his T-shirt--a feat that impressed Anchang and his friends.

“What amazed me was Casey had all the autographs of our soccer team’s players,” Anchang said, pointing to the scribbles on Casey’s white and green shirt. “That proved he has his dream in Cameroon.”

While Casey’s passion for the game might seem foreign to some Americans, Anchang said the boy would fit right in with soccer-crazed Cameroonians.

To illustrate his point, he recalls visiting a tribe of African pygmies as part of a research project in Cameroon’s forests. Of the 300 natives he interviewed, Anchang said about 250 knew of Cameroon soccer star Roger Milla, but only about 50 knew the name of the prime minister.

“You understand now, Casey, what soccer is in my country?” he asked.

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Anchang said he hopes to arrange a trip for Casey to visit his country, possibly through his marketing firm, Cameroon Promo Loisir. “I will keep writing to him,” he said. “I hope next summer we will be able to invite him over.”

Casey’s parents, Jim and Kathy Schmidt, have always supported Casey’s soccer playing and passion for Africa. A professor at Cal Lutheran, Jim Schmidt traveled to Kenya for seven months, and said he’s delighted how his son has developed international friendships.

“It really put a nice ending to our World Cup,” he said. “In years to come, we won’t remember who won, but I’ll remember making new friends from Cameroon.” As for Casey, someday he hopes to move to Cameroon and play for its national team. “My goal right now is to get a scholarship to college,” he said. “Then I want to move there and become a citizen and play.”