Philly kids need more places to play | Opinion

Soccer has been making me smile since I was old enough to kick the ball. Growing up in Mexico, soccer (or fútbol) was a big part of family and community life. After making Philadelphia my home, joining in games down at FDR Park was one of the first ways I began to build a community in my new country.

Today, the community that has been built around soccer in South Philadelphia is nothing short of incredible. I run the Lobos Soccer Club out of Capitolo Playground at Ninth and Federal Streets. Our 200 youth, ages 4-16, are joined by hundreds of other soccer players who use the well-loved (and well-worn) field each week.

For many kids, outdoor team sports are a great way to make friends, stay fit, and develop character in real time. Respect, commitment, and fair play are all lessons learned quickly on the field, which impact how we grow up to treat others and ourselves. As a child, my memories of the community that existed around the fútbol pitch were of fun, friendly competition, and unconditional love and support. That is why, when my oldest child turned 5, I started the Lobos Soccer Club in my new home of South Philadelphia. I wanted my daughter and her friends to experience that same joy and camaraderie that I did as a child in Mexico.

» READ MORE: Kids pictured helping to break ground for renovated South Philly soccer pitches

Here in Philadelphia, since the pandemic, we have seen more interest in our youth soccer club than ever before. Philly kids aren’t just dealing with a global health pandemic; they also struggle with virtual school and rising youth gun violence. They need support from our village. For thousands of young people, that support happens on the field, from caring coaches and teammates. We want to welcome every child who wants to play, but we’re worried about running out of space.

There simply isn’t enough field space to accommodate all the amazing youth sports leagues in South Philly. This is impacting every youth sports organization in the city, especially youth soccer and football, which serve thousands of young people and teens each year. Without more fields, we have to get creative. We travel, we play indoors, we raise funds for transportation and private field rentals, often in the suburbs or long drives from our neighborhood. We divide fields into mini-pitches to squeeze in more play. We do what it takes to get our youth on the field and having fun.

“There simply isn’t enough field space to accommodate all the amazing youth sports leagues in South Philly.”

To understand the extent of the field shortage, just drive by Capitolo or Smith Playgrounds on any given weekend. The challenge is not just to satisfy the existing leagues scrambling for space. How many children are left on waiting lists, or sitting home unserved, because our facilities are at capacity? Leagues can only grow to fit the field space available, and across the city, we cannot serve more kids until we build more places to play.

The need is urgent. During the pandemic, rates of weight gain among kids doubled, likely due to stress, disrupted schedules, and fewer opportunities for exercise. This is a trend Philly pediatricians are noting, too. And evidence shows that kids who are physically active often have higher test scores, lower rates of depression, and more self-esteem, among other benefits.

We welcome initiatives like Mayor Jim Kenney’s Rebuild program, which is putting millions of dollars into new fields and mini-pitches, and the planned FDR Park renovations, which will change the game for South Philly’s volunteer youth sports coaches. New dedicated sports fields in the heart of South Philly will provide a place to host local tournaments, bring our kids for big games, and grow our leagues to serve more local youth and families.

As we work toward a safer, healthier, and more sustainable city, investing in youth recreation is a big part of that work.

But in order for these long-awaited projects to become a reality, we must protect the space in public parks earmarked for youth sports fields, and continue to advocate for our youth and the land needed to build the high-quality fields they deserve. Making room for youth sports fields in existing public parks is the most important way we can ensure our children can grow up with safe places to play.

Luis Uribe runs the Lobos Soccer Club.