SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane mother was shocked when she saw her daughter’s soccer teammates taking the field without basic equipment.
No cleats. No shin guards. The kids were playing in everyday shoes with no protection.
Sarah Guertin’s daughter normally plays club soccer where most players have proper equipment, so watching teammates play without essential gear was striking for the mother.
“They are going out full force playing with no protection,” Guertin said.
Her daughter plays on the Future Pirates, a program that teaches soccer to kids at Rogers High School feeder schools. For Guertin, the issue went beyond missing equipment.
“It is a confidence boost. They see other teams and kids having all that proper equipment, and they are asking, ‘ Why don’t I have that? ‘” she said.
Determined to help, Guertin reached out to her close friend Cristal Via the founder of Hillyard Built. The organization works to ensure kids don’t miss opportunities because of financial barriers.
Via understood the challenge facing families in the community.
“I know for the parents it is hard because these kids are growing so quickly… to dish out $50 dollars for a pair of shoes 20 for shin guards every year is expensive. As parents in Hillyard, we have to choose this or that,” Via said.
Within days, Hillyard Built stepped in and purchased shin guards and cleats for seven athletes who needed them. While the kids played hard even before receiving the new equipment, the mood boost was immediate.
“They were super excited, jumping up and down, they strapped up their cleats, and then you just see them take off,” Guertin said.
For Via, the most rewarding moment came when the children realized the equipment was theirs to keep.
“They said, ‘do I have to give this back after practice?’ and I said, ‘No, this is yours. You take them home, you wear them to bed, you bring them back the next day. These are yours — you do whatever you want with them,'” Via said.
Hillyard Built hosts several fundraisers throughout the year and operates a store in the Hillyard community where merchandise sales support local youth programs.
You can find more information about the organization here.
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