Ten years later, the Aztecas Youth Soccer Camp continues to grow. This year's camp is giving 250 kids between the ages of 6 and 14 the chance to play the sport they love. Starting last week, campers have been learning everything from soccer skills to maintaining a healthy lifestyle to what it means to be a leader at Freedom Elementary School. The program serves kids from areas affected by gangs, violence, poverty and drugs, giving them the opportunity to make new friendships and have fun. We spoke with Jose Rocha, who works as a probation officer for Santa Cruz County and is the organizer of the summer camp. He believes in the importance of mentorship. “The kids are starting to see our staff as their brothers and sisters, and that means a lot,” Rocha said. “Why? Because our staff is giving these kids guidance. They're talking to them on and off the field while we're with them, and I think the kids are going to pick that up eventually.” But Rocha, the probation officer, never wants these young people in his office. He is doing all he can to give these kids what he never had. “My parents were always busy. My goal is to change one life at a time,” he said. “If I can change 10, that's great. But being here and supporting the staff and supporting these young kids and having someone to look up to, I think that's something the kids will remember.” This is Guadalupe Rico Garcia's first time coaching at the camp. He's been with the program for five years and is ready to give back to the community that helped him. “You know, I had numbers as a kid, but my mom was always working. I don't have a dad,” Garcia said. “So I think it's great that we're helping these kids. This feels like another support, like another adult that's supporting them. You know?” The young people also expressed their gratitude, acknowledging that not everyone gets this opportunity. Kaitlyn Mulcahyre attended the camp for the first time this year and plans to attend again. “By being a part of something, you help people, you make a lot of new friends and, yes, you get to be a part of something,” Malkiah said. Leaders at this camp are very intentional. The purple shirts the campers wear combine the gang's two colours, red and blue, to represent unity. More Central Coast top stories here | Download the app | Download Very Local
Ten years later, Aztecas Youth Soccer Camp continues to grow.
This year's camp will see 250 children between the ages of 6 and 14 taking part, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the sport they love.
Since last week, campers have been spending time at Freedom Elementary School learning everything from soccer skills to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and what it means to be a leader.
The program helps kids from areas affected by gangs, violence, poverty and drugs, giving them the opportunity to make new friendships and have fun.
We spoke with Jose Rocha, a Santa Cruz County probation officer and summer camp organizer, who believes in the importance of mentorship.
“The kids are starting to look at the staff, our staff, as their brothers and sisters, and that means a lot,” Rocha said. “Why? Because our staff is coaching these little kids. While we're with them, they're talking to them on and off the field, and I think the kids pick that up over time.”
But Rocha, the probation officer, never wants these young people in his office. He's doing all he can to give these kids what he never got.
“My parents were always busy. My goal is to change one life at a time,” he said. “If I can change 10, that's great. But being here and supporting the staff, supporting the younger kids and having someone to look up to, I think that's something the kids will always remember.”
This is Guadalupe Rico Garcia's first time coaching at the camp. He has been with the program for five years and is ready to give back to the community that helped him.
“Growing up, I knew the numbers, but my mom was always working. I don't have a dad,” Garcia said. “So I think it's great that we're helping these kids. It feels like another support, like another adult supporting them. You know?”
The young people also expressed their gratitude, recognising that not everyone has this opportunity.
Kaitlyn Mulcahyre attended camp for the first time this year and plans to return.
“Being involved in something helps some people and you make a lot of new friends, so yeah, you can just be a part of something,” Mulcahy said.
The leaders at this camp are very intentional.
The purple shirts worn by the campers are a mix of the gang's two colors, red and blue, and represent unity.
See more Central Coast top news stories here | Download the app | Download Very Local
