OPINION | More soccer fields, please

By Reak Kueth, Special to TC Daily Planet
April 04, 2009

© Forgiss - Fotolia.com

My name is Reak Kueth. I’m 13 years old, I go to Green Central Park School and I live in Central Neighborhood. I’m writing to get support for more outdoor soccer fields at Powderhorn Park.

I play soccer because I was inspired one day when I was flipping around the TV channels and I saw a team called Manchester United. A guy on the team named Cristiano Ronaldo had just scored a goal. He became my favorite soccer player. After watching him, I went outside to practice and got hooked to playing soccer. I joined a team with the East Midtown Phillips (EMPY) youth soccer program. We play indoor soccer during the winter. I decided to join EMPY because it’s free and it gives me a chance to exercise and it helps me improve my skills. Every Sunday we play at Green Central School. Over 200 kids play every weekend and all of them live in the neighborhood. We all have our own uniforms.

My problem is that during the summer we have no space for us to play. My team and I want more outdoor soccer fields at Powderhorn Park because it is close to us. The only park where there is space to play is too far away for all of us. We met with our Park Commissioner Scott Vreeland to tell him that we want him to help us. Soccer fields are important for our kids because:

1. They will have fun
2. They will be commited to a healthy life style.
3. They will be away from the television.
4. It saves electricity by keeping kids away from video games and t.v.

My team and I want people to support more soccer fields in Powderhorn Park. So far over 1,000 people have signed postcards supporting us. But I also want to communicate with the neighbors in Powderhorn to hear what they have to say and so they can hear why we want soccer fields. The Minneapolis Park Board said there is no money to build soccer fields so we want to raise the money we need so we can all be happy.

Please tell the Minneapolis Park Board to support more soccer fields in Powderhorn Park.

©2009 Reak Kueth

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    First we should figure out how the City will pay for it!

    Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 04/04/2009 - 7:09pm.
    How disgusting that guilt and a child would be used to forward a cause. I resent this obvious manipulation. Clearly the goal is to portray those who oppose the fields as child hating Grinches. Instead of making the argument based solely on its merits, the proponents of this cause have chosen to take the low road. Rumor has it that one of the organizers showed up at a meeting with kids in tow to help seal the deal. The resulting message to the kids, “The end justifies the means.” One of the most difficult tasks a parent has, is to say “No.” It’s difficult because love makes parents want to please their children. The reality is that by saying “No” we teach our children a valuable lesson. Disappointment is something that we all must deal with throughout our lives. In this case, economics is the issue that will win the day. Soccer fields aren’t built and maintained by emotion. That’s a job left to tax revenue. With unemployment and home foreclosures rising, the well of taxpayers with which to finance this project and fund it over the life of the fields, is rapidly drying up. Personally, I’d love to support such a project if finances were different. We live in a city where our mayor values fancy drinking fountains over libraries. Rationalizations like this are why we are unable to fund projects that would clearly benefit our youth. Unfortunately, one thousand signed postcards are an empty gesture if they aren’t accompanied by checks and a long-term commitment to support the project with more of the same. Finally, applying pressure to the Park Board members won’t make money magically materialize. If Minneapolis residents want more from their city and elected officials, we might want to consider changing the faces down in City Hall first. Until they become more fiscally responsible and less focused on their own pet projects, soccer fields in Powderhorn are not likely to be in our future.

    In response to the Anonymous commenter "first we should..."

    Submitted by Steven Renderos on Mon, 04/06/2009 - 11:10am.
    I am not afraid to have my name posted next to my comment. I do so because I think it's important to have transparency in the public dialogue process. Some of your arguments are valid but mixed in with some subversive agenda accusing proponents of the soccer fields as manipulating kids is flatly and outrageously inaccurate. I've worked with the kids, in fact I worked with the kids on developing these editorials. It was their idea to do this, and barring certain grammatical mistakes here and there the content was entirely theirs. I agree that ultimately it's a question of economics, but if the city is unwilling or unable to do this does that mean that this idea should end there? No, in fact the kids themselves proposed the idea of doing fundraisers to raise money for the soccer fields. They not only want the soccer fields, they're willing to put in the work to make it happen. You talk of the valuable lesson of disappointment, but I think a more critical lesson is one of leadership and civic engagement. To that end they've met with Park Commissioner Scott Vreeland, and Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin and they've gathered over 1,000 signatures of people who support building soccer fields. Simply because they are kids doesn't mean they don't have the ability to take leadership in the issues that affects them most. This paternalistic notion has no place in this debate and I still fully support the kids on their campaign for soccer fields because it is truly being led by them.

    The Grinch responds

    Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 04/06/2009 - 1:36pm.
    First of all, you mention the fact that I chose to remain 'anonymous' in my comment, so what? If you suspect some kind of 'subversive' agenda on my part, what would that be? I stated clearly that I would be portrayed as a 'Grinch," and I was correct. Why would transparency be integral to this debate? Arguments should stand on their merits, not on emotions. Second, you claim that you haven't manipulated this debate via the children. I maintain that through your own comment, "I’ve worked with the kids, in fact I worked with the kids on developing these editorials," that you have. Third, I applaud the willingness of the children to raise money to convert the area to soccer fields. I suspect that this will be a costly undertaking & in this debate, I've missed the dollar amount needed to do so. I haven't heard of any individuals or organizations that are willing to match their valiant effort. Forth, I maintain that your comment "paternalistic notion has no place in this debate " is invalid. We are talking about children. Children aren't born complete; it's the role of parents to shape them and to prepare them for adulthood, that's the reason they can't vote. Children are too susceptible to the influence of those who would manipulate them for their own self-purpose. An extreme example of this type of manipulation would be children molested by adults that keep the activity secret for years based on fears instilled by the predator. Children are under a constant assault by business & the media, that pressures their parents into buying a specific cereal, toy or clothes. Children will argue that they "need" it, when in fact, they meerly want it. Finally, If this is truly the "issue[s] that affects them most," I'd like to hear more support from their parents, since parents would likely have a keener insight into the welfare of their own children. I'd also like to hear the support, along with a comprehensive plan, from local politicians as to how this can become a reality. Until this happens, the plan is dead in the water & there will be some very disappointed children around Powderhorn. I wish the children luck in this cause, the unfortunate reality is that they'll need more than that.

    Re: the Grinch Responds

    Submitted by Steven Renderos on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 11:27pm.
    Grinch, indeed we are talking about children. But ultimately where we fundamentally disagree is that where you see helpless children I see future leaders. You give me too much credit to say that I've manipulated the debate by working with the kids. The idea to go to the press was the idea of the children who participate with the East Midtown Phillips Youth. To that end, they've been interviewed on spanish language radio, received coverage on multiple newspapers including the TC Daily Planet. First of all, the kids that participate in EMPY come from mostly immigrant backgrounds and their exposure and access to media is limited. In this process I've helped out with media coverage not because of my own desire for soccer fields, but because I believe that communications is a fundamental human right, and the children have every right to voice their opinions regarding the changes they'd like to see in their community. Certainly as young as they are they may not know the proper structure of an opinion editorial, but they do know how to construct ideas. My role was merely to provide them with the basic outline of an editorial, not to insert my own opinions or agenda. I've been conducting media literacy trainings with youth of color for two years now and I find it ironic that you would question the EMPY's kids ability to write an op-ed on a website like the TC Daily Planet which serves as a supreme example that journalism is not limited only to professionals. To draw comparisons with victims of sexual abuse is irresponsible and your only basis for that comparison is to assume that someone else, an adult, is manipulating the kids. As for the parents of the children, they're supportive, they're there every Sunday when their children play indoors at Green Central Elementary. They were there to meet with Peter McLaughlin when he visited the soccer program and lended his support. I'm standing by my assertion that your comments are paternalistic. I'm 25 years old, grew up in Los Angeles, CA in an area known as Mid-City. My neighborhood was generally low-income and predominately Latino. We had issues with gang violence and drugs like most under-resourced neighborhoods. One of my outlets from this environment was baseball. I joined the baseball team when I was 14 and it helped me avoid a lot of negative influences. Los Angeles and Minneapolis are not the same, but I've had the opportunity to talk with the kids in EMPY and many of them have mentioned on several occasions that they feel soccer is a way to fight against the issue with gangs and drugs. Indeed we are talking about children, but people like Reak, Jose, Aniceto, Both, and Martin all soccer players in the EMPY program who gave up their day off from school to learn how to write op-eds should be applauded for their leadership.

    Yes to soccer fields

    Submitted by Diego Maradona (not verified) on Mon, 04/06/2009 - 12:39am.
    I applaud this young man for writing and expressing his views. Any activity that positively engages the youths of today and keeps them active is good for them and the community. Having more soccer fields will give the youths something to do, especially considering that summer is almost upon us. Good luck with the fundraising efforts. When this soccer field is here, invite all the neighbors to come and play a friendly, as it is called in soccer. Regardless of the score in this friendly, more importantly, it serves as a reminder that we are all Powderhorn and that together we accomplish a lot.

    What is the real need here?

    Submitted by David Woolley (not verified) on Mon, 04/06/2009 - 4:38pm.
    Does a soccer field need to be anything more than a reasonably flat expanse of ground? I guess I don't understand the problem. I see kids and adults playing soccer in Powderhorn Park all the time in the area across the street from my house on 10th Avenue. I also see soccer games going on down in the bowl where the other sports fields are. I certainly welcome these kids to use the park for soccer. But if the request is to transform areas of the park that are currently multi-use into single-use soccer fields, and to spend a bunch of money to do so, I'm not so sure that's a good use of money or park land.

    Reply to anonymous

    Submitted by Bruce Leier (not verified) on Mon, 04/06/2009 - 5:36pm.

    Nothing works like cowardly hostility! Why are you so easily disgusted? I was kind of neutral to soccer field at Powderhorn, until your diatribe.

    The questions I want answered are: Would soccer fields get used more than the baseball fields are now? Most of the time I go by, the ball fields are empty. What kind of soccer fields also seems important. Artificial turf or grass?

    By the way, I think it is great that we can hear from our grand-children. I think it is very short-sighted to put them down for writing about issues that are important to them.

    Bruce Leier
    6 Blocks from the Park

    soccer is the people's game

    Submitted by Eric Cantona (not verified) on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 9:58am.
    How can anyone deny a child an opportunity to play? Let alone the most popular game in the world? While I understand that cities have budgets and in the current recession monies may be tight to create more soccer fields, we should still encourage children to play. Soccer is called the people's game simple because it doesn't take anything fancy to play it. How do you think Brazil has become an international soccer powerhouse? Because they have field turf fields as far as the eye can see or because they play wherever they can? How do you think Cristiano Ronaldo became the best player in the world? He played soccer pick-up games in Portugal. I don't think this young man is looking for the "Old Trafford" of public soccer fields, I think he is just looking for a space to play that is safe and that is available. Just a space to let them play. I also applaud these kids in doing what they can to help facilitate these fields on there own. They will learn valuable life lessons along the way all thanks to the beautiful game...soccer.

    ball fields in Powderhorn

    Submitted by Russ Adams (not verified) on Wed, 04/08/2009 - 12:18am.
    I have to agree with David Woolley's comments, in the sense that first we should observe how Powderhorn is being used currently. He is correct in noting that games spring up spontaneously in Powderhorn without the benefit of formally "lined" fields. All it takes is a soccer ball, a backpack & rolled up jacket at one end of the field (for a small goal) and something similar at the other end. This kind of "pick up" game is played on the 10th Ave. side, on the 14th Ave. side, and in the bowl. It's great exercise, doesn't require formal sidelines or ref's. All of these areas can be considered "multi-use" because sometimes the bowl area hosts little league baseball, softball, kids football, and my personal favorite, Ultimate Frisbee. Up on top at 10th Ave or on the 14th Ave side, there are a lot of other uses, especially by picnicking families. Interestingly enough, the open area on 14th seems to have more soccer games with girls and young woman playing than any other spot. That's significant and tells me they feel it's a safe place for them. There has been talk about converting part of the 14th Ave side to a formal soccer field (full disclosure, I live on that side) but I would want to fully investigate alternative sites in the park and better understand what we'd lose if we did the 14th Ave. conversion. So start with the base line: are people using the area now and would we want to change that and who gets to decide? At a recent public meeting, I heard the kids that are organizing for more ball fields say that it's difficult for them to play down in the bowl because the older kids and young adults discourage them from finding enough space for their games. I think that's a serious issue - the park should be a place that everyone feels welcome at and the fields in the bowl are intended for lot's of activity - that's why they are irrigated, have night time lighting and received new turf a few years ago. I think we can all agree that the kids should feel welcomed in Powderhorn and not bullied. David is also correct in noting that the adult sized baseball diamond and several of the softball fields are underused. These are in the bowl area and that seems like a very logical opportunity for the discussion to turn to: how expensive would it be to remove some of those ball fields to make room for more soccer fields (which can also be used for football, and yes, Ultimate Frisbee). I've lived on one side of Powderhorn or the other for over 20 years. We used to see a lot more use of the softball and baseball diamonds in the past, but things are changing. Maybe that's a good place to start looking for solutions while keeping all options on the table. I'd suggest keeping the small baseball/softball diamond at the southeast corner of the bowl - it gets used by the little league kids. I think that leaves 4 other diamonds to consider. Powderhorn is a better place now because more people use the park than ever before. Powderhorn is truly one of the crown jewels in the park system - an expansive place of beauty and natural green space. It's also a wonderful gathering spot. Powderhorn is worth protecting and improving as uses evolve, for current and future generations. I applaud the effort by the soccer kids, their parents and allies to get their elected officials to listen to them. That's democracy at work and I respect that. I also appreciate the perspective of the other park users and the ideas of the broader Powderhorn community. There's a need for all of us to get in the same room and figure this out (and we shouldn't invite the park board in until we're ready for them). We might be able to reach enough levels of agreement to form a unified plan. Where there's unity, there's strength - and power. Here's hoping we can make it happen. See you on the pitch. - Russ Adams (living right across from Powderhorn Park)

    soccer boosters should address diverse Park needs & get specific

    Submitted by Jill (not verified) on Sun, 04/19/2009 - 1:33pm.
    As a Powderhorn Park neighbor, I appreciate joining the dialogue about soccer fields - their lack or possible addition in this Park. I don't need convincing to agree that activity in the Park is great, or to support athletics and soccer. But I feel that the message thus far about the need for "more fields" is too vague, and it potentially conflicts with other priorities. For instance, based on community discussions: we hope to fix long-neglected Park paths and stairs to maintain safety and access. We also want to preserve and develop the Park's natural features. Community members hope to avoid new man-made structures as much as possible. Based on those types of priorities, I support a new field in the bowl, but not elsewhere--if costs are assumed by league fundraising rather than Parks department funding, unless there is plenty to go around to a number of projects. Having said all that, I hope a new field in the Powderhorn bowl can be accomplished and that it will help to meet the needs of enthusiastic players out there. If this Park cannot meet the need adequately I hope another site can be identified. I hope those working on this will continue to be informative about their plans. Thanks for listening.

    Soccer is my love

    Submitted by nivlocus (not verified) on Wed, 07/15/2009 - 1:37am.
    Sounds like a great plan. Soccer is my love and I’m happy to see more and more soccer fields out there. I think we should all take this sport more seriously. As a great sports that played everywhere in the world it deserve more awareness in the U.S. In my opinion more and more young people should learn how to play soccer and spread it around.

    soccer field idea

    Submitted by Hannah soccer player 12345 (not verified) on Sun, 09/06/2009 - 1:50pm.

    i think you should make a soccer fields and call it solo soccer fields.it could have lights to play at night,consetion stands,and speakers on a pole for music to play so the players could play and listen to pop music. my idea was just to add music for the whole park to hear.oh yea and add a playground and make that playgroungd awesome.if you consider this idea please put it in madison alabama please,please,and please...