Sports

Teens, Cops Will Meet on the Soccer Field

The annual Aztecas Soccer fundraiser is Sunday at Soccer Central.

There's a crew of kids aiming to beat the police officers this weekend.

In soccer, that is.

The annual  is Sunday at , the indoor soccer facility at Ramsay Park in Watsonville.

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"The kids are so excited," said Gina Castañeda, a probation officer who founded Aztecas Soccer in 2008 to give at-risk teens a healthy, pro-social activity.

The program gives teens positive adult role models and helps them to not reoffend.

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But Sunday is all about some friendly competition.

Aztecas has two teams. One will play a squad of probation officers joined by two Santa Cruz police officers, a lieutenant from Fremont Police Department who is an Aptos High alumni and her friend. The other Aztecas team will take on 11 Watsonville police officers and two sheriff's deputies.

The kids are trying to defend their 2011 wins.

"Last year, they spanked them," Castañeda said of the teens who played the police team. "They’re like, ‘yeah, we’re going to beat them again’ but I’ve heard the cops are training."

Watsonville police Sgt. Saul Gonzalez, who is not on the team, confirmed there have been police department practices but wasn't optimistic about the older team's chances.

“They practice but not to the extent that those kids do," Gonzalez said. "We have full time jobs.”

Rivalry aside, there are a serious aspects to the charity game. for its positive impacts on teens as a gang intervention and prevention program. It was the subject of and Castañeda has won several awards for her innovative work.

“It also builds connections with the police officers," Castañeda said. "The kids actually see the police officers as normal people who share a passion with them, which is playing soccer.”

One Azteca player from Santa Cruz anticipates the Sunday match-up because Santa Cruz police officer Joe Hernandez will be playing with the Probation Department team. Hernandez arrested the Santa Cruz teen after a pretty serious gang incident and the youth is looking forward to making a better impression.

“They just want to show you how good they are, something positive," Castañeda said.

After last year's game, one teen turned himself in to county Gang Task Force officer Fernando Lopez, who he had played soccer against. Lopez phoned the teen and said something to the effect of "I've seen you play. You’re a great soccer player. You’re a good kid. Let’s just have you come in and talk it out," Castañeda recalled.

The Sunday afternoon game also gives parents a chance to come watch their sons perform. Often, the players' parents work long hours that prevent them from spending quality time together as a family, according to Casteñeda.

"It’ll be a time when parents can come out and really support kids doing something positive," she said.

Guest speakers, including Watsonville Mayor Eduardo Montesino, will be on hand to attest to the value of the Aztecas program and importance of gang prevention in the city.

The tournament starts at 4 p.m.; game times are 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door but no one will be turned away.


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