“I am sober for one and a half years and I am proud, I can do everything”
“Football gives me hope, a purpose in life and fulfilment.”
Kamilla was part of the coaching team at the Wroclaw Cup in Poland. The Wroclaw Cup is an annual street football tournament organised by our Polish partner Stowarzyszenie Reprezentacja Polski Bezdomnych (Polish Homeless National Streetsoccer Team Association).
At 43 years old, lots of people told Kamilla she was too old to play football, but she disagreed. She knew she could do it.
Even after becoming injured ahead of the tournament, Kamilla was determined to keep going and became a coach supporting the team from the side-lines.
“It is very important for me; I am looking for something to give me energy. I like these people; they are like new family for me. I am very happy that I can be here.”
“I started in January 2022, I am new, but I love it. I want to come back. Some people said to me, ‘You are old, you can’t do it. You have a problem with your leg because you are old. Football is not for you.’ But I have power, I said no, no I can, I’m not too old. I want to and I will do this. I will show you.”
“Now it better, but two months ago but when the doctor said you must stop playing, you must stop playing. My life stopped. It wasn’t good for me. I have a lot of energy, I like being busy and always doing things, not just sitting.”
Originally from Częstochowa in Poland, about 200km from Wroclaw, Kamilla had been living in the Netherlands with her husband and her two children for ten years. Then it all started to go wrong.
“I had problems with my husband, and I started drinking. Every month more, more and more drinking. Now my children and my ex-husband live in the Netherlands, and I live here. It’s difficult for me because I miss them all the time.”
In 2021, Kamilla moved to Poland and was enrolled in a 12-month therapy programme.
“I lost almost everything, my family, my house, my old life – this is very difficult for me. This is very difficult decision – I stay here, or I go to my children, but I know for my sobriety it’s better to stay here in Poland. I have friends here, I have therapy, I must all the time be careful. All the time. This is addiction. All the time problem. I miss my children, but I must stay here. This is better.”
While Kamilla was in therapy she discovered a love of football.
“Sport is very important when you have problems. This is not normal football, this is street football – it gives you hope, a sense of purpose in life and fulfilment. It gives me energy.”
When she’s not on the side-lines supporting her team, Kamilla writes song lyrics and loves to sing. When I ask if she’d like to sing the Polish national anthem at the tournament, she shies away: “I am singing only for me or in the studio for my friends – not for everybody.”
But she’s not shy about her achievements and how far she’s come: “I am sober for one and a half years and I am proud, I can do everything. Football, running, writing – I can do it all. This is my new life.”
Find out more about Stowarzyszenie Reprezentacja Polski Bezdomnych (Polish Homeless National Street soccer Team Association) and their work in Poland here.
Words: Rebecca Corbett