Giving soccer and academics a kick start

While seeking a competitive option for children who want to play soccer in the community, the Inwood Futbol Club began in March with just five kids and has since grown to include more than 45 children.

Inwood Futbol Club President Pedro Ramirez, an Inwood resident, started the non-profit organization and works together with the Lawrence School District so kids aren’t just focused on playing soccer but on their academics as well.

“We didn’t just want soccer but an education for our kids for their future,” Ramirez said. “The school district allows us to use their fields and gives us the gym in the winter. It’s like we’re partners.” Futbol is the Spanish term for football, which is the

more global name of soccer.

The club’s four teams are split by age division and include a team for ages 7, 8, 10 and 11. They play 24 official games with the Just Say Soccer league that was founded in 2009 and is a fully sanctioned league by SAY Soccer, a member of the United States Soccer Foundation. “We keep the kids busy so they’re not on the couch watching television and the parents are happy,” Ramirez said. “So far, I’m feeling this club has been really successful.”

Lawrence School District Superintendent Gary Schall said the Inwood Futbol Club qualifies to use the fields through the district’s Building Use policy, as they are a community-based team. “Just about every member of the team attends our schools,” he said. “Ramirez also works closely with us to help get parents involved with the schools and makes sure that all of the students on his teams are achieving academic success.”

The club plays at the Number Four School in Inwood on Sundays, at no charge. Many of the club’s parents pay $150 every six months, according to Ramirez, for uniforms and insurance. “We don’t charge a lot of money to the parents to bring their kids to play,” he said. “We open the door to all kids.”

Marlon Navaro, an Inwood resident, said his two children, ages 7 and 10, wanted to play soccer competitively. “We started with five kids kicking the ball around and once we started calling more friends to bring their children, more and more people came,” he said. “It’s growing so fast and it’s only been a couple of months.”

A four-person committee runs the club and there are nine licensed coaches who work with the children. “They are all volunteers who work for our kids and to make a better community,” Ramirez said.

As the Inwood Futbol Club expands, Navaro said he is grateful for the coaches, parents and kids who are involved. “This program helps keep kids disciplined in school so they respect their teachers, parents, teammates and coaches,” he said. “We try to teach them discipline while they’re having fun.”