At the Toronto District School Board’s first ever adult high school football tournament, students from around the world came together for their own personal world cup.

The board offers adult education at five schools across the GTA, to 12,000 students a year. Many are new Canadians, happy to finally have a chance to finish education interrupted by conflict, or simply to work toward a better future.

The Star spoke with a few of the all-star students on the sidelines of their big games:

1. Ola Akinleye

Age: 19

Position: Forward

Akinleye came to Canada from Nigeria last year, alone.

He completed high school in his home country but attends Yorkdale Adult Learning Centre in hopes of getting into university next fall. He loves being in Canada but admits he gets lonely sometimes.

“It’s still stressful, but I’m trying to get myself right,” he said.

Fresh from a break in play, he said he always dreamt of “being a footballer” but now wants to get a degree and go into finance.

“Dreams do change,” he said with a grin. “Right now, I can’t tell what the future holds for me.”

2. Tashani Carter

Age: 18

Position: Defence

Carter, one of the sole girls in the tournament, is working on her high school diploma at the Scarborough Centre for Alternative Studies.

She came to Canada eight years ago from Jamaica with her sister, and hopes to go into early childhood education.

It has been tough being in Canada without her parents, but “the most important thing is finishing school,” Carter said.

Being back on the field with her classmates reminded her of playing the game while growing up.

“They don’t really treat me like a girl. We’re all like a big family,” she said.

3. Hamad Shomari

Age: 21

Position: Forward

Shomari arrived in Canada with his younger sister and brother to join his mother in February, after nine years apart.

He completed high school in Swahili back in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, but faced an uphill battle learning English. He’s currently enrolled in the adult education program at the City Adult Learning Centre and hopes to one day become an engineer or a mechanic.

“I came here and I did not speak English,” he said. “So I went to this school. It’s helped me a lot. Now I can speak.”

4. Shayan Mehdizadeh

Age: 20

Position: Midfielder and forward

Mehdizadeh completed Grade 11 in his native Iran, but his studies were interrupted when the family fled as refugees to Turkey.

He spent three years in a camp there before finally coming to Canada last year and is now a student at Yorkdale Adult Learning Centre. He hopes to one day teach English.

Mehdizadeh said he likes “everything” about his new country so far, except for the cold.

5. Fakhrullah Ahmadi

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Age: 18

Position: Left wing

Ahmadi escaped the Taliban in Afghanistan, fleeing to neighbouring Pakistan with his mother, brother and two sisters.

“When I was 1 year old, my father died in Afghanistan because of the Taliban,” he said. “It was so hard for my family. I don’t want to remember it.”

Now a student at the Scarborough Centre for Alternative Studies, he said he “has no complaints” and is enjoying life.

The aspiring engineer said the highlight so far has been visiting Niagara Falls.

“All people wish to go to Niagara Falls, but I saw it four times,” he said.

6. Brahim Guende

Age: 26

Position: Midfielder

Guende has fond memories of playing soccer with his friends every evening after school, while growing up in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad.

He returned to the game Thursday, as a proud student of the Scarborough Centre for Alternative Studies.

He came to Canada by himself, he said, after both his parents passed away, to get a good education.

“With education we can build our future. We can have a good career in whatever we want to do,” he said. “(When) you’re more educated, you’re more open minded and you know where you’re going.”

7. Pavlos Balektzian

Age: 20

Position: Goalie

When Balektzian arrived in Canada two years ago from Greece, he was put in a Grade 9 math class with kids four or five years younger than him, he said.

Now a student at the City Adult Learning Centre, he enjoys his studies much more, but was excited to get the chance to get to know his classmates outside the classroom during the tournament.

“We’re adults; everybody has to go to work after school,” he said. “So it’s very nice, it’s something that gets you out of your routine.”

Balektzian hopes to go to college to study heating and air conditioning once he gets his high school diploma.

“I’m lucky to be here, not (just) happy,” he said.

8. Clement Onwumere

Age: 21

Position: Forward

Onwumere, who came from Nigeria two years ago, hopes to study welding once he completes his high school diploma.

During a moment off the field, he marveled at the indoor lights and said he appreciates dependable electricity “most especially” about his new country.

“This is my first time seeing stadium lights like this, because in my country its not that way, so I’ve kind of enjoyed it,” he said.