After a few weeks of watching their kids experience the joy of Asphalt Green’s free Community Soccer League at Roberto Clemente State Park on Tuesday and Thursday nights, a group of parents who had been kicking a ball around during practices came together with an ambitious idea — “What if we formed our own team?”
Led by Asphalt Green Soccer Club (AGSC) coach Kaskile Zawadi, or “coach Kas,” our Community Soccer League introduces young athletes to the sport, helping them develop fundamental skills and preparing them to pursue dreams of playing in high school, AGSC’s competitive club teams, college, and beyond.
“Football is time-consuming and can be financially challenging, so Asphalt Green's free program is a great opportunity for our community. The goal is to give kids the skills and experience early on, so when they’re older—around 14 or 16—they have the option to pursue football seriously if they want to. We want to ensure they have an option to play at a higher level, whether that’s in high school or even college," Coach Kas explained.
Despite focusing heavily on his players’ development, Coach Kas didn’t hesitate to help when he learned about the parents’ interest in playing too.
“It’s beautiful to see parents get involved,” added Coach Kas. “Growing up, my parents didn’t know anything about football, so seeing parents here actively learning about the game is amazing. It also gives the kids something to talk about at home—training, experiences, and progress. It brings families closer and gets the kids more engaged in what we’re doing. The parents even organize barbecues and other activities, which makes it even more special.”
What started as a playful idea has since turned into something much bigger. With the help of our Community Programs team, the adult team now has full uniforms, participates in organized training sessions with AGSC coaches, and competes in a local Latin league. After a few weeks, the team’s success is offering much more than the chance to play—it's helping players bond with their kids and each other.
Kimberly, who plays on the adult team, explained that “being here with my kids is exhilarating. It’s a moment for me to bond with them. When we go home, we talk about what happened at the games or practices. Sometimes we play against them, which is fun too. I love it."
“I never really played soccer growing up, but this gave me an opportunity to see why it’s so popular and how forming a team with a great group of people is important,” said Wayne Montague, who plays alongside his wife, Carolina, who added “I knew nothing about soccer before, but I jumped right into it. It’s a way to bond more with the kids and with the community we've built together.”
For the kids, watching their parents play has been a source of inspiration.
“It's enjoyable to watch my parents play because usually I'm the one playing and they're the ones watching me, but now I get a different perspective,” said Wayne Montague III, Carolina and Wayne’s son.
Julani Madrando, whose mom also plays on the adult team, added “I like watching my mom play soccer because I can see that she enjoys it. My favorite part about being on the team is that even if you feel like giving up, [the coaches] push you to go further and try your best." Kimberly’s son Dallas, agreed: “One of the best things I've learned is that if I have a bad day, I should keep pushing, and the next day will be better than the last."
Our Mission in Action
Seeing families enjoy the many benefits of organized sports and come together through soccer exemplifies our mission to transform lives and build community through sports, fitness, and play for all.
For Wanye, Julani, Dallas, and all the other kids participating in our league, AGSC is also working hard to ensure this is just the start of their soccer journey.
Coach Kas added that "We use the same training methods here as we do at Asphalt Green’s main campus. The kids here receive the same high-level training, and our coaching approach is consistent. It’s important to us as coaches to meet the kids with the same level of commitment and passion that they would get anywhere else. Our goal is to develop them into players who can succeed at a travel or competitive level, and we’re dedicated to making sure we give them the best possible chance"
With their parents as inspiration and Asphalt Green by their side, we bet they’ll be playing as adults too!