A man with a capital letter

Two years ago, returning from Sochi, at the airport I saw our football team of amputees "Matonat". These were mainly young people, whom I did not know, but one of the team's management came up to me and greeted me:
      -I immediately recognized you Comrade Colonel, you were our military commissar, you brought us disabled people to the first training session in the fall of 1988 at Pakhtakor. It was pleasant for me, they did not have time to talk, customs control began, the team has a lot of property. We got on the plane, ready to fly, cheerfully, disabled football players joked like in all sports teams. My neighbor asked me who they were, I explained.
     - How I envy them, how great they live. Indeed, some healthy people cannot find themselves, but these guys, by their labor, have turned the hell of life into heaven. Doing what you love, proper communication, friendship makes it possible to live with dignity. The plane took off, everyone calmed down, a good chair, lighting, warmth, girls are carrying water, dried apricots. Memories flooded in: October 1988, in the office I was sorting out mail, a call, the chairman of the Tashkent City Executive Committee was on the wire, we were friends, he greeted him and asked to solve one issue. We received a letter from the sister city of Seattle (USA), stating that the coach of the amputee football club is going to create a team with us, by agreement, to Tashkent. Due to the negligence of the sports committee, the paper lay somewhere, the coach is here, brought the necessary sports equipment, the first training session will take place at Pakhtakor at 19.00 today, our future amputee footballers will be waiting. We need to help in this matter, collect at least a small number of guys to conduct the first training session. I replied, there is little time, now it is 15.00, we will try to do it personally.
      -Paper from my secretary, get it for review, I'm at the aircraft plant, if you call. I love football, I trained with Viktor Tikhonov, I was the captain of the youth team, so I got down to business with zeal, we must have such a team. He sent his officer Zufarov X to the city executive committee, he brought the necessary papers, having studied them, he collected his subordinates and set the task of notifying suitable children. By six in the evening, eight people were gathered, by seven they left for Pakhtakor. He took Major Zufarov with him to be his eldest among the guys. We arrived at the stadium, full coverage, the director of the stadium, the representative of the sports committee, the coach of the future team are waiting for us. Sports equipment neatly folded, uniforms, balls, auxiliary equipment, all of very good quality. I went up to those who were standing and introduced myself:
       -Military Commissar Colonel Radjabov. He greeted everyone.
       –Bill Barry, coach. Strong handshake, about forty-five years old, beautiful smile, firmly on his feet, footballer. Introduced the guys, changed into uniform, Bill was ready to conduct a training session, went up to the ball, pushed the ball onto the edge, bounced, lifted it beautifully with his foot and caught it with his hands. The guy works well with the ball. The guys disassembled the inventory, tried it on, started joking that we didn't have this, it's very convenient.
Bill spent the training with high quality: warm-up, work in pairs and the ball. During a break in training, I went up to Bill, apologized, I need to go to work, business, if you need help, we will do everything, I leave Major Zufarov in charge. We said goodbye. The following trainings were successful, the team was gaining strength. Bill is a skillful coach, cheerful person, manager of the Seattle football club, supporter. He knew that disabled children chase the ball on wastelands, decided to help them, became one of the founders of the world of football for amputees.
At his own expense, he developed from a scientific point of view equipment, sports equipment for training, made up the rules of the game, a methodology, a program for physical training, psychological rehabilitation of disabled people, everything was done from a scientific point of view. Developments are drawn up, tested by life. Bill's son was disabled, this also played a role. In my service, I was transferred to a promotion in another region, I had to follow the team on TV, in the press and during my arrival in Tashkent. The guys named their team “Baynalminal” (Internationalist), then renamed it “Matonat” (Courage). Thanks to Bill, his training methods, rehabilitation, the work of football players, the team gained strength and power. Bill's life is reminiscent of the life of Sydney Jackson, a professional boxer, US lightweight champion. During a tour of the Russian Empire, he was caught by a civil war, he remained in Tashkent. He worked as a boxing trainer, contributed a lot to the development of boxing in Uzbekistan, died in 1966. His pupils B. Granatkin, V. Karpov, V. Popenchenko, R. Riskiev. Jackson is an Honored Coach, I saw him train in the Palace of Pioneers, the athletes of Uzbekistan honor his memory. The Matonat team has achieved great victories. World Cup: 2007,2010,2012. World Championship 2010. None of the footballers received the title of Master of Sports, Master of Sports of international class, Honored Master of Sports. As they say, there is a team, there are champions, but there is no worthy understanding of the republic's sports leadership. Now on the abandoned grounds the amputate football girls are chasing the ball; they also want a new understanding. Bill Barry's methods are suitable for their sporting life, I think they will come. Thank you Bill for what you are, for your work, you are a person with a capital letter.

Pulat.