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Convivo Latino! How Soccer Helps Bring the Community Together in Kalamazoo
from Ed.502
Contributions and Challenges of the Latinx Community in Kalamazoo
By Juan C. Ibarra
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Editor's note: This story is part of the New/Nueva Opinion's series Contributions and Challenges of Latinx Community in Kalamazoo series. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation founds this series.
Kalamazoo, MI - As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, the Latinx community looks for ways to come together and spend time as a group.
Across Latin America, soccer is a pastime that unites people regardless of age, gender, or nationality. Soccer is a language and lifestyle. “Soccer is something that comes in Hispanic blood,” says Jose Manuel Barron, the man currently organizing and leading the adult Hispanic league in Kalamazoo. Manuel is originally from Mexico City and has played with the league since it started in 2001. He has been the director of the association over the last three seasons and is now getting ready to start up again for the summer. “Soccer is a good distraction for the youth. Some prefer not to sleep and come to play early,” says Manuel.
Soccer is a good distraction for the youth. Some prefer not to sleep and come to play early,” says Manuel Barrón
Juan Grillo - New/ Nueva Opinión
People from several different walks of life come together on Sundays to watch the league out of their love for the sport.
There were around 200 total players and 11 teams last year. The season will start again soon, with Mother’s Day marking its beginning. The season usually runs until late September or October. The league plays primarily at Emerald Drive Park – a field rented out to the league by the city. In addition to paying rent to the city, Manuel still has to cut the grass and paint the lines on the field. “We’d love to have a better field. We get in the way of an American community that is uncomfortable since matches start at nine in the morning. It’s the only field available when there aren’t enough teams”. On top of the high costs of maintaining these fields, hosting these soccer tournaments can feel like a disturbance to unwelcoming neighbors. Despite these tensions, the Hispanic league creates a space that feels like home to many. “It becomes something familiar here. We have food and snack vendors. There are many people who don’t have anything to do with the match that still come to relax. We have a taco stand that’s been coming here for fifteen years”. Even if they are not playing, tacos are more than enough incentive for entire families to come out and enjoy the games.
The adult Hispanic league is also not exclusively Hispanic. This league is bringing a lot of integration from the entire Kalamazoo community - White, Arab and African-American players regularly join the teams and contribute to the weekly festivities.
Jorge and Heriberto are two members of the Latino community who play soccer with the adult league. Jorge has been playing for 22 years, and Heriberto has only played for about a year. For them, soccer is a way of destressing and celebrating with others. Eating tacos and spending time with family on the field is an attractive bonus to playing on these teams. However, both players also cite the undermaintained fields as obstacles. They have played on beautiful fields in places such as Battle Creek, and the overgrown lot in Kalamazoo is not what the Hispanic league deserves.
Players come from all over Michigan for these matches - Grand Rapids, Hartford, Benton Harbor, South Haven, even as far as Jackson. Players of different origins and ways of life are all integrated with their shared love for the sport here in Kalamazoo; don’t they deserve a better field?
Jorge mentions that it can be difficult for one person to run the entire league. On top of worrying about the state of the field, Manuel must figure out referees, trophies, equipment, and prize money.
Soccer is essential to the well-being of the Latinx community here in Kalamazoo, and the city should provide more resources to keep this league and the community behind it successful. The Hispanic league takes place on Sundays starting at 10 A.M. and goes until as late as 6 P.M. The association is open to anybody over the age of 16 from the community. If you are interested in participating, contact Manuel at (269) 370-7992.
Jorge and Heriberto are two members of the Latino community who play soccer with the adult league. Jorge has been playing for 22 years, and Heriberto has only played for about a year. For them, soccer is a way of destressing and celebrating with others.
Juan Grillo - New/Nueva Opinión
In addition to the adult Hispanic league, there are also opportunities for children to play soccer here in Kalamazoo. Adrian Vasquez is the executive director at El Concilio, and he is the person in charge of overseeing the Aztec soccer league. Adrian also mentioned that soccer is in Hispanic blood; he says, “it’s like eating hot sauce.” Soccer is something Latinos grew up with, and it is intergenerational. Parents bring their kids to the soccer field, and the children have good role models to look up to as they eventually grow up and take on the field. Before COVID, La Academia Azteca served as a community soccer program, mainly helping young players who could not pay for expensive clubs.
The league started with six teams and has grown to have 13 teams before the pandemic caused them to stop. El Concilio helps provide referees and equipment, and parents volunteer to help coach the kids.
Like Manuel and the adult Hispanic league, Adrian carries most of the weight of managing the Aztec league. He volunteers a lot of his personal time, working beyond his scheduled hours because he realizes the importance of this program for the youth.
The city has offered some support for the Latinx youth in Kalamazoo, such as providing discounted rates on the rented soccer fields and developing programs in partnership with the department of public safety. However, Adrian mentions that it would be helpful for the city to provide additional resources, such as paying for an extra person to help with the program. Adrian and El Concilio constantly look to develop programs that make sense within the community.
La Academia Azteca served as a community soccer program, mainly helping young players who could not pay for expensive clubs.
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They hope to get involved in a meaningful way and provide programs that are financially accessible. Adrian states: “We are always looking to make programs that make sense within the community. We want to make it as financially accessible as possible, so it’s not costly and fun for the families and the youth”. Community-driven leagues and initiatives such as the Hispanic league and the Aztec league provide safe and supportive networks for Latinos to spend their weekends.
As Manuel and Adrian have mentioned, soccer is in the blood and veins of Hispanic people, and hopefully, these leagues will continue to grow. There will be more information soon to recruit kids for the Aztec league, as they are hoping to start again at the end of May. The league is open to everybody, even people outside the Kalamazoo community. Contact El Concilio at (269) 385-6279 for more information.
Paulo Alcalá, 20 years old, is an excellent example of soccer's positive impact on young Latinx players. Originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Paulo came to the Midwest when he was two years old. He currently plays soccer for Hope College, and he will soon be moving up to the semi-pro level.
Paulo recently signed with the Tulip City United Soccer Club, based in Holland. In addition to the support, he has felt from community organizations such as the Hispanic league, he mentions the importance of being an athlete. “Being an athlete has a great community around it. It’s easier to make friends and connect with people. I always felt like I had a group of people that supported me and came to my games. Soccer has such a huge fanbase that makes it special.” A large part of being an athlete is networking: getting to know teammates, rivals, and coaches. Paulo mentioned that he has even received a work internship due to networking as an athlete.
Although playing soccer in Michigan has been beneficial to his growth, Paulo reminds us that it has not always been easy.
“Soccer is a tough community to get into. Here in Michigan, it is expensive. If you want to play on a travel team, that’s a lot of money. The Hispanic community is good at providing opportunities to support you if you’re interested in playing. Other communities don’t always have that, but the Hispanic community helps and can keep you away from falling into bad habits. There are always taco trucks and families and people to support you.”
Even though soccer can be an expensive sport to play, Latinos in Kalamazoo have joined together to figure out how to continue funding.
Through league inscription fees, community fundraising, and support from organizations such as El Concilio, soccer continues to bring people from all over the state to Kalamazoo. Even though soccer isn’t necessarily the most popular sport in the state, lovers of the sport make it feel welcoming and supportive.
Paulo states: “In Mexico, there is a big community around soccer. Here everything is centered more around Basketball and Football. The Hispanic league is the only relatively cheap option here in Kalamazoo. I wish it would grow more; I think it’s just that soccer is not the main sport here in America. The field that we play on in the Hispanic league isn’t the best.”
Even though players benefit from affordable access and excellent food through organizations such as the Hispanic league and the Aztec league, there is a common concern: the sport is widely underfunded and undersupported. Nevertheless, players such as Paulo have shown the benefits of playing in these leagues: family, community, and even food.
Hopefully, these leagues continue to grow in numbers and the financial and institutional support given by the city. When asked to provide advice to young Latinos wanting to play soccer, Paulo said: “Training on your own is important. Going to the field, working, and taking care of yourself like a professional athlete is how you get to the next level. It’s important to see that in yourself and put in the work. Networking is also important, talking to different people and asking to join teams. Playing as much as possible is the best way to grow.”
Juan Carlos Ibarra is an anthropology/sociology and French major at Kalamazoo College.
