Passion becomes a project

It took Lawrence Cann three weeks in Charlotte, N.C., to find the passion that would shape his life.

Six years later, that fire still burns, and Cann has a movie to prove it.

"I consider myself happy," he told about 300 students gathered in the chapel of his Richmond alma mater, St. Christopher's School, last week, "because I've pursued things that I'm passionate about."

His passions run in directions not necessarily in accord with each other, but he found a middle ground six years ago, and he hasn't swayed far since.

With art and literature coming from one direction and soccer from another, Cann helped create a soccer program for homeless people in Charlotte.

"They were so full of excitement," he said of the artists with whom he began working at the interfaith Urban Ministry Center. "I saw the potential for a pretty powerful program."

A soccer player through high school and at Davidson College -- he was the school's most valuable player in 1998 -- Cann was familiar with the concept of homeless soccer.

When he saw a seemingly endless stream of young homeless people, Cann applied his passion for the art program to starting a soccer team for the homeless.

"A lot of them weren't on teams before," he said. "I went to one school for 13 years. Some of these people in group homes, they've lived in 10 cities in five years."

He helped write a grant to fund the program, thinking the project would keep him busy for three weeks. Six years later, it's still his project, though he has since moved to New York.

The story of the 2006 Homeless World Cup was captured in the documentary "Kickin' It." The film recently was screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Cann said he hopes to stage a mid-October screening at St. Christopher's.

A 1996 graduate of St. Christopher's, Cann found a receptive audience in the chapel for his message and for a shorter film, "Street Soccer," about the Charlotte program.

"The hope he's given them through soccer, I think it's inspirational," said senior Briggs Cooke.
Contact Zachary Reid at (804) 775-8179 or .