This morning, after an unexpected long bus drive, we arrived in the town of Santa Maria, an hour and a half from Santiago. Once steeping off the bus at the local K through 8 school, we were greeted by the town's mayor who led us to their indoor soccer courts. We were met by little boys and girls eager to practice the little English they knew with us. They had been preparing for our visit, teaching a unit on inclusion and working to highlight the global development of women's status. We led the kids in soccer drills for a short time and then scrimmaged 5v5 with their girls soccer team. Many of the kids had never met anyone from the United States and were overjoyed to see us. It was a great opportunity for us to not only take on leadership roles running drills for these kids, but also for us to realize the excitement and hope we can bring to people just by what we do every day. Unlike the US, most Latin American countries haven't developed young girls soccer and many girls find it difficult to find somewhere to play, despite their passion for the game. Great programs are in the works to increase girl participation in soccer and offer them equal opportunity, but that still lies far on the horizon for many. By just being there with these kids and talking to them about our soccer experience, we are able to inspire them and give them hope for the future. We are also inspired by these children, who look up to us, to appreciate the opportunities we were given and to play not only to win but for the love of the game, something shared across the world.
After lunch, we went to practice with universidad catolica's adult team. Unlike the past few days, during which we had been practicing with both the u17 and adult teams, today we only practiced with the adult team. This was a super cool experience and we learned a lot.
WITH LOVE,
THE GIRLS
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