The economic downturn hasn't stopped the staff of the after-school Boys and Girls Club at Fleming Middle School from working diligently to make a difference in Lomita, a blue-collar suburb just 10 miles or so south of Los Angeles.
The club is open three hours daily after classes end, and it's staff has undertaken several tasks, including homework help, tutoring, and, most recently, a youth soccer program.
Gareth Williams, director of the soccer program, was instrumental in getting it started as an alternative for youths under the age of 14 who might otherwise be left to find amusement on the streets. Williams says he loves the game and has been a mentor for kids throughout his professional career in his native England. "I have always wanted to start a soccer league with the Boys and Girls club," says Williams, who is known as Coach to the kids.
A recent game day for the Fleming Falcons kicked off early on a Wednesday evening in mid-March at the Dana Strand Boys and Girls Club in nearby Wilmington. The Fleming Falcons faced the Acemilan in their season opener. Excitement filled the air as the Falcons stepped on the field dressed in their light-blue soccer jerseys and navy-blue trunks.
After the usual warm-up rituals, the game was in full force. The crowd of parents — predominantly Latino — watched in anticipation to see which team would score the first goal. One parent said her son, now 13, is the goal-keeper from Fleming and has been kicking a 'futbol' — or soccer ball — since he was 5 in his native Mexico.
Acemilan started off with one goal early to put them on top, but there was still time for the Falcons to make their presence known. The Falcons goal-keeper took strong defensive measures and there were many saves — but Acemilan was victorious by a score of 3 to 1.
The Falcons weren't feeling great about falling in the season opener. Yet they remained upbeat, looking forward to playing another game.
A bunch of kids with something to look forward to — that sounds like a win for the Boys and Girls Club.
Sheannette Virtue is a writer for Carib Press.
Photos by Sheannette Virtue
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