Skating, swimming, soccer: Syrian brothers take to Whitehorse life

In one month the lives of Sadik and Muhammed Ahmet have changed a lot.

Stepping on the turf at the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse, the recently arrived Syrian refugees warm up with their new soccer team. The Ahmets are the second refugee family from Syria to arrive in the Yukon this year.

"I love soccer," says Sadik, the younger of the two. Slowly he thinks over what he wants to say in English. "I make new friends," he announces with a big grin.

Muhammed is just as pleased to be part of a Whitehorse Minor Soccer team. He's practiced a sentence in English he wants to share. He pauses, and then says: "in the future, I hope to be a soccer star."

That's also what he told Hillary Gladish, a member of the sponsoring group from Riverdale Baptist Church, when she asked what types of activities they like to do.

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Lots of firsts

Gladish says the last few weeks have been exciting. "There's been a lot of firsts. The family has tried skating for the first time, the boys went swimming and they tried goggles under water and just watching their wonder and delight, it's been really a great experience all around."

The boys' sister, Dunya, decided she wanted to learn to play the piano and is now taking music lessons.

The boys started playing soccer.

"They are very attentive, they get right into the game," says coach Gareth Howells. "Muhammed scored a goal last game and the whole team was just so happy for him, his brother way happy... he was happy for himself. It was just wonderful to see."

No English, no problem

When Howells calls his players in for instruction the Ahmet boys are quick to huddle with the team. They listen to the coach's every word although they hardly speak any English. Howells says that doesn't matter.

"It's a universal language, soccer, so they follow what we do and they understand, they understand a lot already."

Head coach Edgar Musonda was excited to welcome the Ahmets to the league.

As an immigrant who came to Canada five years ago, Musonda says soccer is a natural way to get to know Canada and make friends both on and off the field. He hopes it will help the Ahmet family in getting to know the community.

"Soccer is a very good tool for integration," he says.

The league waved the player fees and helped outfit the boys in equipment.

"They're going to fit right into the mix of things and just be kids, normal kids, like every other Canadian kid."

Dad cheers

As Muhammed and Sadik run after the ball, their father, Yaser, stands watching alongside Musonda and Gladish.

Yasser's English is also very limited. He smiles and nods.

Gladish says while the family is making progress settling in, it does take time.

"They spend a lot of time talking to us about their family, both in Turkey and in Syria, so I think that there's ups and downs. They're really getting to know the [sponsor] group well and the kids are doing well at school. So I think that there's definitely progress forward but... it is a slow process."