In coming to America, Patient Yuha received a jolt. Playing soccer made his assimilation just a bit easier.
Arriving in Aurora in January 2017, the second youngest of nine children, Yuha had little command of English.
Soccer was his sanctuary, an important bridge to his time growing up in the eastern Africa country of Tanzania.
The sport became the means by which he crossed from his past life to his new one. He quickly saw how the game transcended language or the vast cultural gaps he was trying to navigate.
“I met new friends and I became very comfortable around the guys,” Yuha said. “The skill level here is very good, and the game is not really that different from what I played growing up.”
He made an instant impact in first year playing at West Aurora. As a junior forward, he scored nine goals and added a team-best 13 assists in leading the Blackhawks (16-4-1) to the first conference title in program history.
Yuha earned all-state recognition from the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association. He also was named all-conference.
“His name fits his game,” veteran West Aurora coach Joe Sustersic said of Yuha. “He lets the game come to him. He does not force anything.
“The most impressive part about him is how unselfish and team-oriented his game is. We had games last year where he was attacking the goal and could have easily scored, but he held up and waited for a teammate that he could pass to so they could score.”
Five of Yuha’s goals were game-winners. His knack for impacting the action and bringing out the best attributes of his teammates proved essential for team chemistry and bonding.
At West Aurora, Yuha is not an outlier. Last year’s team featured 12 foreign-born players. Sustersic said seven of his starters for this season were born in countries outside the United States.
Senior forward Andy Emile, who was born in the Congo, is the Blackhawks’ top returning scorer.
Yuha and Emile both speak Swahili and French. Their rapport on the field plays a crucial part in the Blackhawks’ success.
“It’s great playing with him,” Yuha said of Emile. “Our styles are similar. We both like to play fast and attack (offensively). We had a good season last year, but we are going to try our best to do even better this year.”
Yuha is one of six returning starters on a team brimming with optimism. Looking to conquer the reformatted, 10-team Upstate Eight Conference, West Aurora opens play Monday at home against Kaneland.
Every day testifies to how far Yuha has come. More than 8,000 miles separate Aurora from Tanzania.
“He told me when he first got here he was not that good there,” Sustersic said. “That’s just his modesty, his nature. We have a saying, ‘It’s Always Family,’ and he fits that. We are thrilled he is here.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance writer for The Beacon-News.
