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• VERY inspirational PEOPLE
SILVER ANNIV. MEMBER
SHE’D BEEN INVOLVED IN SOCCER since childhood, but during a semester abroad in Botswana (southern Africa), Monica Bosiljevac discovered something new about the sport she loved.
USA operations manager and president of the board of directors. “We have really good people on the team; I wouldn’t be able to do it without my board members.”
Future goals “It was the first time I had ever traveled out of the country, and I was always able to Bosiljevac is also finishing coursework for a master’s degree in business establish this instant connection with people because I played soccer and because administration at UNO with graduation projected for next year. most of the time they were kind of surprised that this girl—an American white girl—could play,” she said. “That was my first experience that soccer could connect “The reason I went back to get my MBA was specifically so I could have some sort of people. I really enjoyed my time and I ended up finding a volunteer position for the executive leadership role at a nonprofit at some point in my life,” she said. “Since FFTW started as a nonprofit here in the United States, my goal is to get this nonprofit summer in Mwanza, Tanzania (east Africa) after I finished my semester.” to the point where it is sustainable and does employ a full-time executive director. Even as soccer was proving to be a wonderful connector at the community center And if that’s me, that would absolutely be my dream job. There’s no denying that for street children where she worked, there was one big disconnect for Bosiljevac. being able to run a nonprofit I’m super-passionate about and seeing it get to that As a Marian High School varsity soccer player, equipment and gear were point would be totally incredible. I would love to see FFTW be a sustainable always a given. And she never thought of herself as particularly nonprofit that will be around long-term.” privileged when she was a college player at the University of Nebraska Omaha with access to top-notch facilities and Football for the World’s mission is to help improve the never wanting for practice wear, uniforms, and all the quality of life of children across the globe through the high-quality gear the sport called for. But in Africa, game of soccer. “Sometimes, when I’m running she saw children play soccer shoeless. She saw “I would love to see equipment drives here in the United States, I have to games emerge on a dirt field littered with broken be careful to use ‘soccer’ as the language, because FFTW be a sustainable glass, and children using a makeshift ball of plastic people might hear the name and think American nonprofit that will be bags and rope. football. I have to be very clear that we’re collecting soccer equipment,” Bosiljevac said. FFTW works with around long-term.” “It makes you think. Wow, we have it pretty good… schools, sports clubs, community groups, individuals I’m a college soccer player and I get two new pairs of and corporations to procure and distribute equipment, MONICA BOSILJEVAC F cleats every year. I get tons of gear. I have equipment create safe playing spaces and develop players and stockpiled at home,” she said. “Is there a way to ship this coaches. overseas and give it to kids that could really benefit from it?’ Gearing up In 2012, a fellow volunteer soccer coach in Tanzania, Canadian Alikhan Popat, had founded the Football for the World Foundation (FFTW) to distribute donated equipment and gear to children in economically disadvantaged areas. That same year, Bosiljevac followed his lead and began collecting gear back home. “Ali had this infrastructure in place, so when I came back to the States I stayed in touch with him,” she said. Her first equipment drives and distribution efforts were informal. “For the first couple of years I was basically doing FFTW activities but I was not quite ready to make it my own nonprofit,” Bosiljevac said. “At one point I decided I really wanted to run own equipment drive and plan my own international trip.” She familiarized herself with the minutiae of international regulations and cultures relative to the various communities targeted for FFTW activities in the Americas and Africa. “A drive in Tanzania looks way different than one in Jamaica, so you can’t replicate it,” she explained.
Everyone plays “I think it’s important to tie in the Omaha community,” Bosiljevac said. Local activities have not only included equipment drives for which she’s happy to provide collection bins and marketing support, but after-school programming for Completely Kids and eight-week clinics for groups at Jackson Elementary, Field Club Elementary and Benson West Elementary. FFTW-USA has also donated equipment to young soccer players through PACE (Police Athletics for Community Engagement), Girls Inc., Omaha Housing Authority and Benson High School. Community members who want to help support FFTW can contact Bosiljevac or one of her colleagues through the group’s website, footballfortheworld.org. “It really has been inspirational, or a ‘passion project’ as we always refer to it. You’re going to get out of it what you’re willing to put into it. So if you’re willing to put in the work, you’re going to be rewarded just by passing out the gear on these trips and seeing the looks on these kids’ faces,” she said. Bosiljevac’s involvement with FFTW also keeps her connected to the sport she loves but can no longer actively play due to past injuries.
In May 2015, Football for the World Foundation-USA (FFTW-USA) became incorporated as an officially registered 501(c)(3) organization in the United States, “As much as I would love to and want to play recreational soccer or pickup leagues an expansion of the original organization. “It’s nice to see how it’s grown. What’s or co-ed leagues, I have told myself I shouldn’t put myself in that situation,” she made me successful is just being able to chip away a little at a time and letting it said. “But whenever I do go on these (FFTW) trips, there’s no way I can hold back. I grow naturally,” Bosiljevac said. The two entities work hand in hand towards the always have to jump into a pickup game or jump into a soccer clinic and run around same mission and partner on international projects. Bosiljevac now serves as the with the kids.” 24
mQUARTERLY • MAY/JUN/JUL 2017