Soccer games foster sense
of community, teamwork
By clare MARie celano
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — The Community Youth Soccer Association will complete its first season in Freehold and according to President Frank Dalotto, the 5- to 9-year-olds who played this fall all had a great time.
Dalotto said that in addition to giving the youngsters a chance for physical activity, the league also addresses their social need to learn to get along with each other and to accept one another’s cultural diversity and backgrounds.
"We’re using soccer as a tool to help kids to learn to play together at a very early age," he explained.
The league is for all children, but is geared toward addressing the specific needs of the young Hispanic members of the Freehold community by integrating them into the concept of team play with other area children.
"The borough has some unique issues affecting the idea of getting a soccer league for these children in the town. First of all there is not that much space. Then, there are other issues which specifically affect the Hispanic sector of the community. Many children are from families who cannot afford to pay for the equipment and uniforms and many have no transportation," Dalotto said.
He noted that the Hispanic population in the borough has grown to 28 percent. He said the league attempts to address their cultural diversity, in addition to the soccer.
"We want to do something to help the community learn to live together and play together as well," Dalotto said, "and the best way to do this is to address this issue in young children."
The children play 3-on-3 soccer.
"They all play, they all touch the ball and they all score. It gives them a great deal of self-confidence," the league president said.
He said that by encouraging children of different ethnic backgrounds to play together, he hopes to establish positive attitudes at an early age.
"After a certain age it’s just too late," he added.
Dalotto has a strong sense of community that is evident by his involvement in local activities. He serves on the board of directors of the YMCA of Western Monmouth County, the Sunrise Optimist Club and the Freehold Community Alliance for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
The Community Youth Soccer Association received support and sponsorship from Norkus Foodtown, the Freehold Community Alliance for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the Sunrise Optimist Club of Freehold, CentraState Medical Center and Snelling Personnel in Freehold, a business owned and operated by Dalotto, as well as from the YMCA.
He said the community support allowed children to have a 50 percent reduction in the registration and uniform fees, bringing the amount to $25 per child with a maximum fee of $50 per family.
Dalotto explained that more and more parents began to attend the games as the weeks progressed. Initially, he said, they were reluctant to join in. He said an interpreter has been present at the Liberty Street Park field, working with parents to help them to integrate better into the community activity.
The president said addressing the issue of honoring one’s cultural diversity is best done in the formative years. He noted that in the beginning of the season, the Hispanic children, who account for 55 percent of the players, seemed to be socializing only among themselves. But as the season progressed, Dalotto said, he saw remarkable changes.
"After a couple of games you could see the excitement among the kids," he explained. "They began hugging each other and cheering for one another. They began playing and relating as a team. They were learning that we’re all really members of one race — the human race."
Dalotto said he is hoping that next year there will be more than the 65 children who signed up this season. He said he’s looking forward to making the program bigger and better next year.
The Community Youth Soccer Association is separate from the Freehold Soccer League, which serves youngsters from Freehold Borough and Freehold Township.