JAWS, Salvation Army help children learn soccer

Cesar Quispe loves the game of soccer and serves on the board of both Jackson Area Wide Soccer (JAWS) and the Salvation Army.

Quispe, who’s played or coached the game nearly his entire life, found a way to utilize both organizations to help grow the game of soccer in Jackson as well as help underprivileged children learn the game in a way they might not otherwise.

“Soccer has become a sport for people that have money,” Quispe said. “Because most athletes who play wind up playing travel soccer to get really good at it, and travel soccer is really expensive after paying all the expenses to be a part of a club and then paying the expenses to play in tournaments in Memphis or Nashville or Huntsville or further away.

“And that limits how many children in Jackson, a lot of them in East Jackson, from being able to really be exposed to the game and receive top-level training.”

Quispe wanted to do something about it, so he discussed the matter with officials with both JAWS and Salvation Army.

JAWS has youth soccer leagues in Jackson in spring and fall, and registration fees for a child to play in both leagues in a year is $47. The first season registration fee is $35.

“Because there are huge gaps in kids being able to learn the game of soccer, JAWS and Salvation Army are partnering together to offer a free eight-week clinic on Saturdays for kids to learn the game,” Quispe said. “We’ve done five weeks so far, and a lot of the kids are already showing progress from the first week.”

Quispe said some of the camps had have as few as six kids attend and as many as 19.

“I think we’re at a good number because these kids are learning the game, and it’s no so many that they’re overwhelmed with how many people are there,” Quispe said.

Salvation Army is supplying transportation for some of the kids because Quispe said some of the children were walking long distances to get to T.R. White Sportsplex, where the camp happens in the gym. They’re also supplying snacks and water.

“There were a few kids who came in wearing slides and jeans, and I wondered why they were wearing that,” Quispe said. “And it turns out it was for one of two reasons – they either didn’t know what to wear or their family can’t afford shorts and a pair of sneakers.

“So Salvation Army and JAWS are stepping up to help these kids out.”

Paul Rivas, who is a professor at Lane College and has coached soccer for years including at Madison Academic in years past, is doing the instruction at the camp.

“Paul is a great coach and does a great job connecting with the kids and showing them the objectives and methods of the game and basic skills to improve playing,” Quispe said. “So we’re trying to reach the kids from Allen Heights or Lincoln Courts that won’t typically have the opportunity to get this kind of training.

“Because as popular as soccer is worldwide and as much as it’s growing in Jackson, there’s not much reason to not let everyone that wants to play have access to training like this.”

Quispe said anyone who would like to help fund the efforts in reaching more children with soccer training can make donations to either JAWS or Salvation Army with a note about what the donation is for.Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news