With more than 250 children between the ages of 4 and 16 participating at sites across the city, volunteers must learn on the fly, said Tim Richey, league program director. We need as much help as we can get. When a kid grows out of one pair, we pass them down to another one. Until now, we never got enough money to get them together. The league also got a boost when the city of Detroit and Wayne County built four soccer fields at Historic Fort Wayne.
Soccer gives Detroit youth another after-school activity that promotes a healthy way of life.
We try to teach responsibility, discipline and teamwork in a way that is fun for kids. Deputy Wayne County Executive Mike Duggan said he is confident Detroit youths will love playing soccer. Everybody's feet reaches the ground and nobody big has an advantage over someone small. It is a great way of building self-esteem. The league could also result in educational benefits, if a player used the league to attract the attention of a college recruiter, Richey said.