The Ikhusi Chris Campbell Memorial Field is now open!!! 

I'm going to try and give you the day from my perspective and hopefully you will be able to get a better feeling of how things went and the story behind some of the pictures that are now up on photos.ryanmcgonigle.com.

I woke up around 6am and started to get myself ready for the day.  It was good to kind of reflect on all the events over the past two years and take a second to come to the realization that the day had actually come.  Just really a huge testament to the incredible kid that Chris was and the incredibly caring network of friends he had.  So thank you to everyone that made it possible.
Back to the day…I picked up some of the food and my buddy Siya from Phillipi (township outside Khayelitsha) and headed to the School...kids were all over the place excited to see all the strangers coming into the school.  We set up a tent for people to sit under, with chairs, next to the field.  This eventually turned into kids taking all the chairs and rushing to surround the field as soon as we let them in the gate...Look below for some pictures...we hired a pro-photographer as well so I should have about a 1000 coming soon.   We also video taped the majority of the event so look forward to that coming out.

    We officially started around 12.  Hundreds of kids and local community members surrounded the field.  We started the event off with some of the kids from the Ikhusi School playing a game against some former pro and national team players.  I think we had two former guys national team players (one was a captain at the ‘02 World Cup, we played against him when you were here) and one of the women’s previous national team players.
After the game, we had demonstrations on each of the 5-aside fields.  The field has 4 lined 5-aside fields going across the width of the field.  We split up demonstrations accordingly.  Each was setup to show the different sports that will be played on the field. The kids from the school engaged in soccer drills, field hockey/rugby matches and we even had a little blow-up castle for kids to jump around in.  It was great!!!  Kids were running around everywhere on the field enjoying the different demonstrations.  Those not directly involved cheered on their classmates and danced to the house music  (we had a PA system along with a DJ that kept beats going when people were not talking...CLEARLY a must in African events).  After we finished with the demonstrations we had a number of speaches done by local dignitaries, the principal, Leo, and Mr.C.  
    This was the hardest time for me, for some reason.  I’m not sure what exactly set it off but it was hard to hear other people who didn’t know Chris talk about how happy he would be about the field and the huge impact it will have on the community.  The speeches were extremely well done (not always in terms of grammar but in how they said things and how understanding and appreciative they were).  I wasn’t upset that they talked about Chris, it was just when they started talking about how proud he would be and looking at the Campbell family, it felt like he passed just yesterday.  I tried real hard to hold it back but I ended up just standing there unable to hold back the tears.  I feel like it was a good thing for me though.  At first I was angry at myself for not standing strong and showing tears but as I heard more people talk about their appreciation and I looked around at the hundreds of kids that were there, the tears came more out happiness.  Without a doubt Riddles would’ve loved every minute of the opening and I know he would be so happy about the amount of lives that will be changed as a result of this field.
Mr. C closed out the speeches thanking everyone for their support and through Siya (translating) told the kids that the field is theirs to take care of and enjoy because that’s what Chris would do.  
In his speech he took an excerpt from Nelson Mandela’s Noble Peace Prize Speech and I think it would be cool for some of you to see it:

At the southern tip of the continent of Africa, a rich reward is in the making, an invaluable gift is in the preparation, for those who suffered in the name of all humanity when they sacrificed everything - for liberty, peace, human dignity and human fulfilment.
This reward will not be measured in money. Nor can it be reckoned in the collective price of the rare metals and precious stones that rest in the bowels of the African soil we tread in the footsteps of our ancestors. It will and must be measured by the happiness and welfare of the children, at once the most vulnerable citizens in any society and the greatest of our treasures.
The children must, at last, play in the open veld, no longer tortured by the pangs of hunger or ravaged by disease or threatened with the scourge of ignorance, molestation and abuse, and no longer required to engage in deeds whose gravity exceeds the demands of their tender years.
-Nelson Mandela

    I think it was good to kind of emphasize to the parents, school teachers, and dignitaries that were at the opening, the goal of our field and how important it is for us to focus on the development of the next generation.

    We ended the opening with a reception filled with drinks and mini-sandwiches for all the people that came.  We took a bunch of pictures with the Campbells and had a nice time to just enjoy playing with the kids.  It was really cool to see members of the Campbell entourage just having soo much fun with the kids.  I got to spend some time with two of Chris’ cousins Mairead and Gabriel (who were absolute troopers on the trip) and taught them a little bit of Xhosa so they could say hello and how are you to the kids.  Mairead and Gabriel…you better still remember because I’m quizzing you the next time we talk.  I’m not sure how much everyone used the Xhosa they learned but all in all I think everyone had a wonderful time at the opening.
    We had a number of local newspapers there along with a local television network (eTV) doing interviews and a story on the field.  Apparently it aired on Friday night but I didn’t get to see it because I wasn’t told when it was supposed to air and honestly didn’t think it was possible for something to happen so incredibly efficient here (Sorry SAfricans but its true).  I’m working on getting a copy of their production now and looking to get a number of copies.  Theyre like 25$a pop though so we’ll see how many I can get out.  
The rest of the day after the opening I kind of spent in shock just thinking bout Campbell on one hand and getting excited about the field on the other.  It was such a mix of emotions, I don’t know how to describe it.  I dropped a few of my friends from the township at home and then met up with Mr.C at the hotel for a beer.  We went out for a celebratory dinner that night at where else but my favorite spot, Dizzy’s.  Live music and great food helped get us all in an even better mood about everything and just kind of relax.  I ended up having a nice night out with one of Campbell’s best friends (Kevin, living in Mozambique but flew down) from home.  It was nice to finally kind of relax knowing the opening was completed and a success.  I had a custom made painting done by one of my buddies that works by the local markets of a picture of the field and school, with banners of Chris Campbell Memorial field on the side, which I gave to the Campbell’s.  They were really happy to see the painting and I got my buddy to do 3 more paintings for them to take back to the states for FnM and for the CTC Ten Foundation (Don’t worry Coach I’m sure you will see them soon enough).

So where does this leave me now...BUSYYYYYYYYY
So we’re working on trying to establish programs and life skills as quick as possible at the Ikhusi School because kids are itching to use the field and we clearly want them to be able to use it right away but in an organized manner.  Were currently working on 2 programs I’m trying to set up...one a PenPal kind of thing between Havertown Middle School and the students of Ikhusi, the other I named Outside The Lines (so I stole it from espn but it works) and it basically is the idea of making sure that the student-athletes at the school maintain a certain test score and attendance percentage in order to use the field.  Additionally, we are working setting up some 5-a-side that will allow us to incorporate Grassroot Soccer Curriculum and fair-play initiatives. Life is going to be a roller coaster from now on trying to start from scratch programs and now the entire school league!   I’m excited though because it’s going to give me a real chance to be involved with kids and programs around Khayelitsha.  

I’m also learning a lot more now about the customs and culture of the people in the townships.  I hang out with my buddy Siya in the townships almost daily and we chill and talk about everything from him now losing a job to the rituals and beliefs of people in SA.  One such belief is that you always leave you’re light on in the shacks at night when you are not there so that when you’re ancestors pass by they know to stop in and bless your house (I also think there are some safety precautions with this).  It’s been great learning about everything though and he also has a son which he named after me in a way...his Xhosa name is Avuso and his english name is Ryan...Siya swears that this is how it is but we’ll see as it goes which name he uses and how much...I spent the night at Siya’s the other day and it was pretty cool.  I feel pretty welcome when I am there as people will come and stop to say hello or challenge my ability to speak Xhosa...sometimes I pass, other times...they kill me when they try and start to carry a conversation pass the usual small talk....

On the whole I am really enjoying myself and I think I am learning an incredible amount of things...it will be hard for me to leave.  We’ll see what ends up happening.  Until next time I write though, I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for your support!