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I have a soccer story to share..
Posted on 5/22/16 at 11:29 am
Posted on 5/22/16 at 11:29 am
When I was younger my brother and I joined the youth league. It was made up of upper-middle class. Well my dad saw unfair it was to underprivileged kids who didn't have the same. Opportunity. The next year he started his own team and basically rode through the housing projects and lower income neighborhoods recruiting players to join the team..
Now the parents were not overly involved so we would ride through on practice days in my dads pickup and give these guys a c ride to practice and games. Our team was 80% black and other teams were intimidated and just couldn't keep up with the speed.
We were beating area teams like a drum and won plenty of tournaments too. We met our match in a tournament with elite teams and met our match from an Atlanta team.
These kids stayed out of trouble because of my dad and those kids were like brothers to me. We ruined the perception that soccer was for rich white kids. My dad helped change the lives of underprivileged youth.
Now the parents were not overly involved so we would ride through on practice days in my dads pickup and give these guys a c ride to practice and games. Our team was 80% black and other teams were intimidated and just couldn't keep up with the speed.
We were beating area teams like a drum and won plenty of tournaments too. We met our match in a tournament with elite teams and met our match from an Atlanta team.
These kids stayed out of trouble because of my dad and those kids were like brothers to me. We ruined the perception that soccer was for rich white kids. My dad helped change the lives of underprivileged youth.
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Posted on 5/22/16 at 11:32 am to Bama Eric
Didn't read but seems like the wrong board from the title.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 11:38 am to Bama Eric
Soccer is a very good sport for young kids. No time outs, or benching offense and defense. It's basically just a ball and goal and let them run wild.
No padding, bats, hoops, etc. very simple to get under priveledged children to get together to play.
No padding, bats, hoops, etc. very simple to get under priveledged children to get together to play.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 12:32 pm to Bama Eric
This makes you wonder why soccer isn't more popular in the inner cities. The reason it's the most popular sport in the world is because it's by far the cheapest sport to play equipment wise.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 12:33 pm to Stacked
Maybe so stacked. My bad slick.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 12:41 pm to BowlJackson
Yeah, it's cheaper than most sports. My family bought the poor kids their shin guards, cleats etc. We had sponsors till they found out the team w was made of African-Americans. The racist old coots from other teams hated playing us and much was made of it during the v association meetings. Those kids were like brothers to me. A couple found there way to prison later in life but most made something of themselves thanks to my dads leadership. I was taught at a young age that your character is what matters, not the color of your skin. Boy I miss being ten.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 1:11 pm to Bama Eric
I used to enjoy watching youth soccer because none of the parents, including me, had a clue about the rules.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 1:14 pm to Bama Eric
I organized pick up football, baseball, and basketball games throughout my childhood. Do I get a prize for helping kids stay out of trouble?
I ruined the perception that you needed a league to play organized sports.
I ruined the perception that you needed a league to play organized sports.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 2:54 pm to RockyMtnTigerWDE
don't be such a needy needer
great story to the op. I was a project kid and white AF.
great story to the op. I was a project kid and white AF.
This post was edited on 5/22/16 at 2:58 pm
Posted on 5/22/16 at 5:27 pm to Bama Eric
If soccer ever becomes popular among the inner city, that's when the US will start winning World Cups.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 8:45 pm to Bama Eric
Props to you and your pops OP. Many great athletes became great because someone took a chance on them and offered a leg up. Case in point, Dre Greenlaw, sophomore linebacker for Arkansas. Cool story if anyone checks it out.
Posted on 5/22/16 at 10:22 pm to Bama Eric
quote:Or maybe they thought it wasn't fair that your dad ruined their kids fun by recruiting athletes to play against their average kids.
racist old coots from other teams hated playing us
Posted on 5/23/16 at 10:13 am to Bama Eric
quote:
Our team was 80% black
quote:I'm confused, which was it?
those kids were like brothers
Posted on 5/23/16 at 3:28 pm to AUBorn
So under privileged youths from the hood are considered athletes?
Posted on 5/23/16 at 4:29 pm to AUBorn
quote:
your dad ruined their kids fun by recruiting athletes to play against their average kids.
Posted on 5/23/16 at 4:55 pm to Bama Eric
Sounds like a baseball team I played on one summer. Coach wasn't my dad, but a close friend's dad. I pretty much spent the summer at that friend's house, rode around in his truck picking up the black kids from the projects for practice and games. We lost all but one or two games, but it was the most fun I had playing baseball as a kid.
Posted on 5/23/16 at 5:07 pm to Stacked
quote:
Stacked
I generally like you but jesus frick you have been on a shitty roll lately
smoke a bowl!
Posted on 5/23/16 at 5:08 pm to Bama Eric
your dad seems like the type of father I hope to be one day. Good on him and I hope you inherited and/or learned all of those characteristics. 
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