Soccer Team Victory

The boys, pictured here with their coaches, proudly display their trophy.

 

Cheers and excited yells filled the air as the boys from our little soccer team at Las Alitas poured out of the van. They had won third place in the area’s soccer tournament, and they wanted everyone to know it!
This is a big victory for a team that hasn’t been playing together for very long. As you may remember, Mando (pictured standing at the far right) came up with the idea of starting a soccer team to reach out to these boys who are so vulnerable to getting involved with gangs, drugs or violence. Being a part of an athletic team, learning good sportsmanship, and having an outlet for their boisterous energy has really boosted the self-confidence of these young men. They are excited to come to our center knowing that they have a place where they belong. Their camaraderie and joy is great to see, and we are thrilled with the changes that have taken place in their lives.
Thanks to a very generous donor who gifted us with a field of artificial turf, we hope to soon have our own soccer field where the teams can practice. We are just waiting for the red tape and paperwork to clear so that we can cross the turf into Mexico.  The kids are anxiously looking forward to a field of their own and to (hopefully) many more victories like this one.