The tweets you are about to read are from Trinidad and Tobago coach Randy Waldrum. The ladies traveled to America to train for the CONCACAF championship, which will serve as a qualifying for the Women’s World Cup next year in Canada. And as you will see, the team doesn’t have any money and is in desperate need of help.
I need HELP! T&T sent a team here last night with $500 total. No equipment such as balls,no transportation from airport to hotel, nothing.
— Randy Waldrum (@CoachWaldrum) October 8, 2014
I don't know how I'm going to feed these players starting at lunch today! If you know of anyone in Dallas area that will help with food, etc
— Randy Waldrum (@CoachWaldrum) October 8, 2014
The story hit home for a squad that is in a similar situation to the ladies of Trinidad and Tobago. The Haitian women’s team heard the news, looked at their own fund-raising for the Women’s World Cup. Their total of $1,300 and change was then turned over to their opponents.
The Haitian team, who are training in South Bend, Indiana, have financial struggles of their own - but when coach Shek Borkowski heard the news he was stunned.
“My players saw on social media the difficulties faced by T&T players and approached me about what can we do to help,” said Borkowski in an interview with the USA Today. “They were very animated about helping, so I will do as they asked.”
The soccer website Keepernotes.com also reached out to the team and by Wednesday night the team’s paypal account collected just over $9,300. Because of the vast response, the site had to stop taking donations due to tax implications.
“We had a little bit of extra money sitting there and said, "Hey, we’ll be competing with them for 90 minutes and that will be a battle between us and them, but before and after, we’re friends. We have similar challenges as they do. We’ve been there many times. We understand what they’re going through.”
The news of their selflessness and generosity then gained traction and got the attention of the Clinton Foundation. Former POTUS Bill Clinton’s charity contacted Haiti’s soccer federation and said they wanted to help. The Clinton Foundation asked for a list of needs for the team's long term budget. “They told us they’re ready to step up not just one time, but long-term support for women’s soccer in Haiti,” Borkowski said.
In a time of adversity, the soccer community once again comes through and shows its best side in aiding a team that simply wants to play soccer.
Trinidad and Tobago open up qualifying against the USWNT at Kansas City's Sporting Park on October 15th.
