ABOVE: Soccer players from the girls soccer team work to teach elementary students in the community how to play the game.
by Janice Ramirez and Jarlyn Landeros
The boiling sun rays hit their faces as they race up and down the field. Their cleats kissing the grass, sweat runs down their red hot cheeks, their parents cheering them on screaming at the top of their lungs. The adrenaline runs through their body. Who will take a shot at the net next?
Holmes soccer boys and girls have taken a part in a program called Northside Elementary Soccer League. This program teaches kids the importance of soccer and what it feels like to play with a team.
Holmes’ soccer team shares a big part of this movement. They dedicate their time to teach these kids what they love to do, play soccer. This program has helped the soccer players mentally and physically with the sport itself.
”I wanted to join because I thought it would be fun to help out the community and the kids,” sophomore Angelica Vega said.
Soccer team members on campus take time from their day to teach kids to play, and they enjoy teaching and learning from the kids. The athletes grow love for the kids because they’re with them every step of the way.
“I love seeing them grow with more knowledge about soccer,” senior Leslie Marquez said.
This program helps kids build skills at a young age, so when they grow up they have more experience about the game and teamwork.
“It helps improve their athletic skills and helps them understand what teamwork is,” sophomore Brenda Benavides said.
The students who help the kids learn teach what they know about how teamwork is important and how you can’t enjoy the game without teamwork.
“Soccer has taught me about working as a team while also being happy with what we do,” junior Juan Garcia said.
Teaching kids at an early age will also help them in the future when they want to join their high school team, so they already have experience with the sport and don’t feel lost.
“When I first started playing soccer here I had no clue whatsoever, and these kids are learning at a young age which is an advantage for them in the future,” Marquez said.
Even though working with young children can be a real challenge, these athletes manage to keep them on task and entertained. It’s important to them that the kids do not forget the importance of sports, which is to have fun.
In this program not only are the kids getting better at soccer, but their coaches are too.
“In the long run it helps us and the kids, because while they are learning about the game, I am given the chance to reconnect with the ball while in offseason,” Vega said.
Holmes players agree that this program is a big help for both them and the kids, helping soccer become more known and available to kids in our community.
“One of the biggest things we’re always looking for is growth. Especially in the Holmes community. Soccer is growing and it’s becoming popular in San Antonio,” Holmes boys soccer coach Steven Rodriguez said.
Overall our husky soccer team has really enjoyed helping out these kids in every way possible. They dedicate a big part of their schedule to be with these kids. Garcia knows that they get as much as they give when working with kids in the community:
“I get happy seeing them grow the way I did, which was playing soccer and enjoying it”