Soccer exchange plans trip to Mexico

The upcoming trip reciprocates the June 2005 exchange, when players from Mexico visited Springfield. The traveling team comprises 16 players, ages 13 and 14, and two alternates. The players were chosen after tryouts held in May.

Bob Belote, assistant director of the Springfield/Greene County Park Board, is working on behalf of the board to help facilitate the trip.

“I visited Tlaquepaque in March, as an advance trip for June, and found that soccer is their way of life,” he said.

They don’t have a lot of other sports opportunities, or a lot of public parks like in Springfield. Our kids will get to see their way of life as their kids got to see our way of life. We can bring a little bit of Springfield to Tlaquepaque.”

Paying the fare

Players and parents will be responsible for part of the cost of travel, but organizers are optimistic that local businesses and organizations will help support the trip.

“It was unbelievable to see how the community embraced the delegates from Tlaquepaque, like when we had the Arts Fiesta a few weeks ago. This is our first real trip down there, and we hope to make it affordable for the kids,” Belote said. “Fund-raising is just getting started, and we would like to have some underwriting and sponsoring, but any type of donation would be appreciated. We’re not ruling too much out right now.”

Belote said he and other organizers would be glad to meet with local business representatives about the trip and sponsorship options.

“Sports is the newest approach to the sister-cities relationships,” he said. “So much is business and culturally based, but there has been talk of cooking, arts, and even potentially golf and baseball exchanges.”

Bryan Murray, player development coordinator for Lake Country Soccer, worked as a chaperone and all-around tour guide with the Club Atlas players when they visited Springfield last summer.

“I had a great time and wanted to help out with the project,” Murray said. “It sheds light on a rapidly growing, up-and-coming sport. I get involved with kids and parents in a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience, and they can play teams that they’ll probably never play again.”

Soccer exchange

The Sister Cities Soccer Exchange Program started last year as the result of discussions between former Park Board Director Dan Kinney, the Sister Cities Association and local officials in Tlaquepaque.

“We’re blessed with tons of sports opportunities, and Springfield embraces them,” Belote said. “In addition to sharing government and formality, with the soccer exchange program, we can share the fiber of our countries and cities, and a lot of that came down to how important sports were to our communities.”

He noted that the team also will promote tennis on the soccer trip, with a gift of Springfield Lasers tennis rackets and collapsible, portable nets.

“We’re getting excited about our trip,” Belote said. “There has been talk of continuing (the exchange) through the years, but we have to see what kind of interest and support is generated.”