Inspiration is a thing of beauty. Everyday, people around the world are doing inspiring things or creating inspiring stories. This one is about Rollaball and the humble men that play the game.
Ghanaians who have survived polio have put a unique twist on soccer. Because of their battle, these men have adapted to life and sport without legs. Locally-made skateboards provide for a way of life and essentially, a way to escape the streets.
Living in Accra, Ghana and outcast by society, these men have little. While begging for food and sleeping in tents is part of their daily lives, they find escape in sport.
Sunday Is Rollaball Day
Throughout the week, the players of the Rolling Rockets find themselves living on the streets, surviving by begging. But when Sunday rolls around, fire ignites in their eyes.
Rollaball is like soccer with wheels. Without the use of their legs, skateboards are used to navigate the playing field. Players use their arms to power around and “dribble” the ball.
Skate soccer is played on an old and forgotten taxi rank. The game features big collisions and all the excitement of a traditional soccer game. Passion is just as prevalent. “Even though I don’t have anything, I know…if you drop a ball in front of me now, I can play,” exclaims one of the players in their film documentary film.
Playing soccer on skateboards is incredible enough, but living life when the odds are against you and maintaining a positive attitude is inspirational. The Rolling Rockets accomplish this through their sport.
Get Ready For Rollaball
With such a great story to offer to the world, Director Eddie Edwards is putting the Rolling Rockets’ story to film. Through a Kickstarter campaign, “Rollaball: Beyond The Game” has reached its monetized target.
Kickstarter is an interesting way to go about raising funds for various projects. In this instance, the Rollaball movie has already been successful. In fact, it’s the most successful Kickstarter film project by an African production company.
A movie backed with this much ambition looks to be promising. One of the hopes is that the film sheds light on the unsung heroes of the Rolling Rockets. “I live in a tent,” one of the players explains, “me, my wife, and my daughter sleep inside. The objective is to get them off the streets, become popular, stars, take care of their families, so that they don’t always have to beg.”
Inspiring people, such as the Rolling Rockets, are not short on inspiration themselves. With amputee soccer being played in over 15 countries around the world, their heads are held high with anticipation that the film will raise awareness of the sport they have created. Not only will the film strive to fight for their sport, but it is forecast to raise awareness of disabled human rights.
The ultimate goal: Give the sport the spotlight it deserves by pushing it to become part of the Paralympics. In the mean time, the Rolling Rockets are
organizing a skate soccer World Cup, as seen in their Kickstarter film.
Not only will viewers get a better look at the sport of Rollaball, but they will gain an understanding of the personal struggle each player deals with away from from the game.
While many films about Africa tend to focus on victims, “Rollaball: Beyond The Game” takes a look at men who look beyond their disabilities. Their release from the struggles of life come from a sport played on small locally-made skateboards. While they lack the use of their legs, their spirits more than make up for their physical disablements.
The sport of Rollaball is just as exciting as soccer. Big talk rivals the big collisions. The sport has made great strides already, with the Rolling Rockets receiving an invite to the Super 4 Para-Soccer Demonstration match in Nigeria. While this pushes the film’s release back, the crew will be able to capture more great footage of the team doing what they love.
In a world where so much can be taken for granted, the Rolling Rockets find relief in Rollaball. Be on the lookout for the release of Rollaball: Beyond The Game, which follows a group of humble men with an inspiring story.
“I thank God for creating me like this.” -Rolling Rocket team member
