Tomorrow is an important day for me and for the RISSE soccer tea. The President’s Day Indoor Soccer Tournament is being held at the Sportsplex of Half Moon in Half Moon, New York. Maria and I are both coming and Red, the official team mascot has also been granted permission.

Wednesday is also the day of the big surprise to the RISSE kids – they will each get a classy Nike Brasilia Bag stenciled by Todd Van Epps of Wicked Smart Apparel in Watervliet, N.Y. just before the game.

Maria will present the bags to each of the soccer players, I’ll take pictures, and Ali will give some pep talks.

Ali, a demanding and focused coach,  is much into winning, he wants victory after victory. And he wants them to win the tournament tomorrow.

I want to tell the kids winning is great, but how they play is also important and we are proud of them win or lose.

I’d like to tell the kids also and tell them that the bags are to give them pride and dignity and to to support them. I want to tell them that I understand how much they have been through, and how much of a struggle their journey to America has become.

I want to tell them that America is a generous and welcoming place.

I want to tell them that I am aware of how painful the controversy in America over refugees and immigrants is to them, and of how much abuse they suffer, and to assure them that I and the people who support my work will be with them every step of the way through this soccer tournament and season, a landmark year for them all.

That’s what the bags are about, at least for me.

On Friday, the team is coming to my town, Cambridge, N.Y.,  to have lunch with the residents of the Mansion. The Round House Cafe is catering, the Mansion will give them a table filled with the makings of Hot Fudge Sundaes. Then they’ll come to Bedlam Farm to see the donkeys and watch Red work.

Ali and I have been scheming all week about how to present the bags – the kids know all about them already, of course. I got a surprise for Ali also, a megaphone so he can yell at the kids while they practice. Thanks to the generosity of Kevin Smith of Sportsplex, we’ve been able to purchase practice time through the rest of the winter, and pizza afterwards as well.

I’m excited about this tournament, and shocked to have the team call itself the “Bedlam Farm Warriors” I feel like one of those shiny-suited old men with cigars who own football teams. Well not quite. It will be lovely to give those kids these bags.