>>>
>>> WELCOME BACK. GETTING KIDS INVOLVED IN
AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES CAN
ENRICH OUR LIVES BUT THERE ARE
OFTEN OBSTACLES TO JOINING AN
ATHLETIC OR OTHER PROGRAMS.
SOCCER FOR SUCCESS HELPS
FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS FROM
VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS ENJOY
SOCCER BALL MAKING NEW FRIENDS
AND GAINING LIFE SKILLS.
NAHUM ROMERO A COACH AND MENTOR
JOIN IS TODAY ALONG WITH 12-
YEAR-OLD PARTICIPANT VIANCA
GARCIA.
GARCIA.
GARCIA. WELCOME.
WELCOME.
WELCOME. >> I AM GLAD YOU ARE BOTH HERE
AND TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT THE PROGRAM IS AND HOW IT
BENEFITS KIDS.
BENEFITS KIDS. >> IT IS AND AFTERSCHOOL
PROGRAM THAT RUNS ABOUT 12
WEEKS.
WEEKS.
WEEKS. AND IS TARGETED FOR LOW INCOME
COMMUNITIES AND UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES AND WE WORK WITH
KIDS FROM FIRST THROUGH 5th
GRADE AND JUST GIVING THEM AN
OUTLET FOR SOCCER.
IN THE SPORT AND ALSO PROMOTING
HEALTHY EATING AS WELL.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE IF YOU'RE
GOING TO EXERCISE.
AND THIS WAS IN PART RESPONSIVE
TO THE FACT THAT FOR SOME
FAMILIES IS TO EXPENSIVE TO DO
A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES ARE
THEY JUST ARE AVAILABLE IN
THEIR AREA.
THEIR AREA. >> IS REALLY CHALLENGING FOR
SOME COMMUNITIES.
SOME COMMUNITIES. THERE ARE SOME REALLY REALLY
TALENTED KIDS IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND HONESTLY THE
OPTIONS ARE LIMITED.
SOMETIMES IN THIS IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY AND YOU KNOW --
>> IT FEELS AVOID.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND
YOU WENT FOR HOW LONG?
>> I WENT FOR A YEAR SO THE
WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR.
>> AND YOU REALLY ENJOYED IT.
>> IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
AND I ENJOYED LEARNING NEW
SKILLS AND MAKING NEW FRIENDS.
AND IT WAS JUST A LOT OF FUN.
YOU ARE COMING BACK AS A MENTOR
HELPING TO COACH?
>>
>>
>> >>
>> >> LOOK AT YOU AT 12 YEARS OLD.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK AND
HELP CHILDREN AT THE PROGRAM.
AND I HONESTLY LOVE THE PROGRAM
SO I WOULD WANT TO COME BACK
AND HELP THEM.
GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY THAT
I HAD OR SHOW THEM BRAND-NEW
SKILLS OR HELP THEM OUT.
>> EVERYBODY ENJOYS THAT.
AND THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY
MINDFUL WHERE THAT IS OUT OF
REACH.
REACH.
REACH. THEY GET THAT CHANCE AND WHAT
IS IT LIKE?
>> I'M GUESSING YOU HAD TO BE
PRETTY HAPPY.
PRETTY HAPPY. >> I WAS HAPPY WHEN I STARTED
TO GET HIM.
>> AND YOU MADE FRIENDS.
MAYBE FRIEND YOU HAD NOT MET AT
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. >> I MET SOME REALLY GOOD
FRIENDS AND REALLY TALENTED AND
GOOD PLAYERS ON THAT TEAM.
AND --
AND --
AND -- >>
AND -- >> I AM GLAD IT WAS MEANINGFUL
YOU. AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT
YOU.
YOU.
YOU. >>
YOU. >> IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WE
HAVE LINKS TO FUNDRAISING'S,
WAYS THAT YOU CAN VOLUNTEER AS
A COACH/MENTOR FOR THE PROGRAM.
AFTER SCHOOL WE WOULD LOVE FOR
PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT
WE ARE ALL ABOUT.
AND LOOK AT ANY OPPORTUNITIES
WE HAVE UPCOMING.
>> HOW DID IT GET STARTED?
>> IT GETS STARTED FOR THE U.S.
SOCCER FOUNDATION AND THEY
PRETTY MUCH KIND OF HELPED OUT
AND DEVELOPED DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS IN DIFFERENT STATES IN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. YOUTH SOCCER WAS THE
ORGANIZATION WHERE WE GOT
INVOLVED IN 2013.
AND IT BECAME AN ORGANIZATION.
AND OF THE TIME WAS SERVE ABOUT
100 KIDS.
100 KIDS.
100 KIDS. >> AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT
THIS KIND OF CHANGES A PERSON'S
OUTLOOK.
OUTLOOK.
OUTLOOK. IF YOU'VE BEEN IN A COMMUNITY
WHERE IT IS BEEN UNSEEN AND
FINALLY SOMETHING COMES THAT IS
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU. >> THAN THAT IS A WHOLE NEW
BALLGAME.
BALLGAME.
BALLGAME. >> WHAT TO GET SAY ABOUT THIS?
>> THEY.
>> THEY.
>> THEY. IT IS FUNNY BECAUSE WE HAVE A
ROSTER OF ABOUT 40 KIDS PER SITE
AND EACH SEASON YOU HAVE KIDS
COME OUT AND COACH I'M GOING TO
BE ON YOUR TEAM.
AND UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES
BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED SPACE
THEY DON'T MAKE IT.
BUT WE WERE ALWAYS TELLING THEM
JUST GET ON THE WAITLIST AND WE
WILL SEE IF WE CAN COME UP AND
MOST OF THE TIME TO COME UP
WITH A SPACE FOR THEM BUT YOU
WILL ALWAYS HAVE KIDS COME AND
TELL ME COACH I WANT TO BE ON
YOUR TEAM AND WHAT IS AWESOME
IS WE WILL HAVE KIDS LIKE
BIANCA OR WHO PASS THE PROGRAM
THEY GO ON TO BIGGER AND
BRIGHTER THINGS IN THEY WILL
COME AND HELP ME OUT AND JUST
SETTING UP THE ACTIVITIES AND
HELPING ME KEEP AN EYE ON THE
YOUNGER ONES.
YOUNGER ONES. >> THERE IS A LOT INVOLVED.
>> TELL ME ABOUT YOUR STORY AND
YOUR LIFE.
YOUR LIFE. >> IS FUNNY BECAUSE I STARTED
OUT PLAYING BASEBALL WHEN I WAS
WILL GET AND SOCCER WASN'T MY
FIRST LOVE PER SE AND
EVENTUALLY I GREW INTO IT.
AND PLAYED HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER
DOWN IN ANTI-SWATTING AND THEN
AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL I
DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY OPTIONS
AS FAR AS CONTINUING TO PLAY.
SO I WAS TRYING TO FIND AN
OUTLET TO BE GIVING OUT THAT
PASSION FOR THE SPORT AND
WATCHING YOU SOCCER WAS AN
OPPORTUNITY THAT CAME TO ME AND
MORE ABOUT BEING A COACH IT WAS
MORE ABOUT ALSO BEING A MENTOR
ESPECIALLY FOR THE KIDS OF THE
FUTURE GENERATION AND NOT JUST
THE SPORT BUT A LITTLE LIFE
LESSONS THAT WILL GET THEM TO
BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS.
>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR LETTING
US KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS AND IF
YOU