From left, Wayne Weahkee, Ira Borth-Jorgensen, Dylan Shandler and Luke McCabe warm up as the Northern Soccer Club's U18 team practices last week at Alto Park.聽Scott Hussion, executive director of the league and a key force behind the聽"Mucho Soccer" campaign to expand the Municipal Recreation Complex's soccer facilities, says creating more fields is an investment in the city's youth.聽"Let's give them something to do and make them feel valued and important in our community," he said.
Luke McCabe tries to defend the ball from Gavin Miera last week on the field at Alto Park. Hussion estimated at least 2,000 young people play soccer in 疯客直播 Fe.
Luis Gomez takes a header during a passing precision drill with teammates Sergio Jimenez, left, Ira Borth-Jorgernsen and Luis Ruano, right, at Alto Park last week. The proposed city funding is earmarked specifically for a championship field, which would have grass instead of turf and include stands and lighting, potentially opening the site up to host host tournaments, New Mexico United exhibition games and high school playoff games.
The Northern Soccer Club's U18 team gets warmed up for practice last week at Alto Park.聽The Mucho Soccer campaign is having a lobby day at the Roundhouse on Feb. 11.
Luke McCabe tries to defend the ball from Gavin Miera last week on the field at Alto Park. Hussion estimated at least 2,000 young people play soccer in 疯客直播 Fe.
A legislative session heavily focused on crime and public safety might not seem like the best opportunity for state lawmakers to put funding toward an expanded soccer venue in 疯客直播 Fe.
But Scott Hussion, executive director of the Northern Soccer Club youth league, sees the issues as inextricably linked.
鈥淵ou see a lot of the legislative session already focusing on mental health, crime and underserved kids,鈥 Hussion said in a recent interview. 鈥淎nd to me, my answer has always been, 鈥楲et鈥檚 start paying attention to kids when they are young.鈥 鈥
Instead of waiting until young people run into trouble with drugs or violence to intervene, 鈥淟et鈥檚 give them something to do and make them feel valued and important in our community,鈥 he said.
For Hussion, that something is soccer 鈥 although, he said any sport that gets kids outside, meeting people from different parts of the community, will benefit 疯客直播 Fe in the long run.
Luis Gomez takes a header during a passing precision drill with teammates Sergio Jimenez, left, Ira Borth-Jorgernsen and Luis Ruano, right, at Alto Park last week. The proposed city funding is earmarked specifically for a championship field, which would have grass instead of turf and include stands and lighting, potentially opening the site up to host host tournaments, New Mexico United exhibition games and high school playoff games.
Hussion has been at the forefront of the 鈥淢ucho Soccer鈥 campaign to expand the city of 疯客直播 Fe鈥檚 Soccer Valley at the Municipal Recreation Complex from five to nine fields, which he said 鈥渨ill be at capacity immediately.鈥 The expansion will cost a total of $12 million, $5 million of which is still outstanding.
Part of the money raised so far is a $2.75 million contribution from an anonymous donor who agreed to provide the money to the city three years ago if it would match the contribution. Last week, Mayor Alan Webber and Councilors Michael Garcia and Jamie Cassutt introduced an ordinance to formally accept the donation and dedicate a portion of state capital outlay allocated toward the project as the matching amount.
鈥淭his is a perfect example of when our community comes together; it shows that public-private partnerships can be successful,鈥 Garcia said.
The resolution is scheduled for a final vote at the next council meeting Feb. 12.
Over 1,200 young people currently participate in the Northern Soccer Club鈥檚 activities. Hussion estimated more 鈥 at least 2,000 young people 鈥 play soccer in 疯客直播 Fe. He described the city鈥檚 current soccer facilities as 鈥渕axed out鈥 compared to the demand.
The number of soccer fields in the area also decreased in recent years after those established at the former Downs at 疯客直播 Fe property south of the city 鈥 where owner Pojoaque Pueblo plans a massive development 鈥 became unavailable.
A championship field
Attempts to expand access to city soccer fields have been years in the making. In 2015, then-City Councilor Chris Rivera proposed a $12 million bond for soccer field improvements at the Municipal Recreation Complex. Rivera withdrew the proposal shortly afterward, however. The city was struggling at the time with a budget deficit and faced criticism over how it had handled money from previous bonds issued in 2008 and 2012.
Rivera had said the soccer field improvements would stimulate the city鈥檚 economy and help its young people, sentiments echoed by Hussion and sponsors of the current ordinance.
The proposed city funding is earmarked specifically for a championship field, which would have grass instead of turf and include stands and lighting.
鈥淎 field with stands, lights, bathrooms, concessions 鈥 a real soccer field to have something real for the kids in the community,鈥 Hussion said.
A championship field would allow the city to host tournaments, New Mexico United exhibition games and high school playoff games: 鈥淚t can be really used for so many different things,鈥 Hussion said.
While the donor, a 疯客直播 Fe resident, has asked to remain anonymous for now, the field eventually could be named to honor them. Hussion credited the donor for what he and the sponsors of the city ordinance described as an incredible act of generosity.
鈥淚n this day and age, with all these people with billions of dollars, and we don鈥檛 see them giving back as much,鈥 the $2.75 million donation for soccer fields means a lot, he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really special to have something like that.鈥
From left, Wayne Weahkee, Ira Borth-Jorgensen, Dylan Shandler and Luke McCabe warm up as the Northern Soccer Club's U18 team practices last week at Alto Park.聽Scott Hussion, executive director of the league and a key force behind the聽"Mucho Soccer" campaign to expand the Municipal Recreation Complex's soccer facilities, says creating more fields is an investment in the city's youth.聽"Let's give them something to do and make them feel valued and important in our community," he said.
Webber noted the city has 鈥渁 lot of recreational needs,鈥 including an additional ball field at Ragle Park and a much-awaited second phase of the south-side SWAN Park, but he said soccer stands out because of its wide popularity in the community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a tremendous family sport, so making progress on getting Soccer Valley moving ahead is a very good thing for everybody,鈥 Webber said.
Along with community benefits, Garcia described the championship field as an economic boon to the city.
鈥淎 venture like this can really bring in commerce and tourism,鈥 he said.
Both Cassutt and Garcia thanked Hussion for his tireless work advocating for this project.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been leading the charge,鈥 Garcia said.
鈥楩inish what we started鈥
The Mucho Soccer campaign is having a lobby day at the Roundhouse on Feb. 11, and Hussion said he鈥檚 optimistic more state capital outlay will be allocated to the Soccer Valley project during the current legislative session. The city received $3.4 million from lawmakers for the expansion last year, and the project remains on its list of legislative priorities.
Hussion said the message to lawmakers this session will be, 鈥淟et鈥檚 finish what we started.鈥
鈥淚 know that there鈥檚 a major issue with capital outlay projects sitting out there partially funded,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to be one of those projects. We want to get this project fully funded, get it finished and get on with other things.鈥
Cassutt noted members of the city鈥檚 legislative delegation have been discussing how to make the city more family-friendly, and she hopes they will view the Soccer Valley 鈥渁s a worthwhile cause.鈥
The Northern Soccer Club's U18 team gets warmed up for practice last week at Alto Park.聽The Mucho Soccer campaign is having a lobby day at the Roundhouse on Feb. 11.
Cassutt鈥檚 young son has played with the Northern Soccer Club for the past three years, she said, and she credits the league for bringing different parts of the 疯客直播 Fe community together 鈥 something Hussion noted as well.
鈥淥ur town tends to be bit separated at times, and getting everyone out there together is one of my favorite things about this sport,鈥 he said.
Cassutt agreed with Hussion鈥檚 argument that giving kids positive outlets is a way to preempt potential challenges in the future, noting her own experience of spending 鈥30 hours a week鈥 in a dance studio as a high school student in 疯客直播 Fe.
鈥淗aving those different types of recreation for kids, I think, is really crucial,鈥 she said.
