School's out and summer camps are all the rage; it seems you can find them on every corner. But today we visited one special camp at the St. Martin's field. It's called the Third World Football Camp, and it features some well known semi-pro soccer stars who are giving back to the community. Here's more.
Mark 'Kelo' Leslie, Football Player
"First of all these kids don't have anything to do in the summer. Most of them stay at home and watch TV or some of them hang out around the place idling themselves so I thought it was a very good idea for us to have a summer program for these kids."
Deon 'Pussy' Flowers, Football Player
"We aren't looking to play football for the rest of our lives so we want somebody who we can say will fit into our shoes. So we want them to be great stars just like us."
Semi pro football stars Mark 'Kelo' Leslie and Deon 'Pussy' Flowers are from the Lake Independence community. And as they have done for the past three years, they're giving something back. Kelo Leslie is just coming off two back to back championships in the semi pro league but he hasn't gotten too big to remember that where he's at right now has a lot to do with where he's from.
Mark 'Kelo' Leslie,
"I born and grow right in this area, this is my area. I live one block away and everybody, all these kids, I am very familiar with and all of them respect me so that makes my job very easier to coach them and teach them."
Deon 'Pussy' Flowers,
"Now since I am from the back here, we want it to be like a Lake thing. Politics has no place, this will be a thing for the block. It is not me, it is not the coach - this has a name. Our group has a name; it is not a one man show, it is not a two man show, it is a community show."
And that show is named the Third World Camp and it's organized for children between 5 and 15 years old, who flood to the field every day.
Mark 'Kelo' Leslie,
"We can't turn back nobody, we accept everybody. Some of them behave very bad but we still try to cope with them because we know the area which we are. This is not the area to turn back kids and get them down-pressed. We need to uplift them so we don't turn back nobody."
And that means keeping all those children - about 90 on this day - hydrated and fed.
Mark 'Kelo' Leslie,
"Like you said no big money is involved in this. We just try to gather little snacks for the kids. We try to gather little equipments. We don't have enough equipments, we still are appealing for some equipments but we are trying to work with what we have. So far it is going so good. This is the second day and yesterday we had 47. Today I think we have ninety odd."
Phillip Palacio, Organizer
"In terms of organizing the camp, we have been having some difficulties. Its kind of tough getting people to support. I guess the tough economic times are telling on us. We are going around, we are touching some people, we are trying to get some things here, there, and everywhere trying to get it up. Primarily snacks for the kids. We were able to get a first aid kit today. We tried to give them a healthy snack with water and oranges every day."
And while they need support, they aren't waiting around with hands out:
Phillip Palacio,
"I personally believe that in our country we need things more for ourselves, we need to be the starters as opposed to people who are having our hands out expecting somebody to start it up for us."
And that can do attitude has the camp rolling along.
Mark 'Kelo' Leslie,
"We're teaching goal keeping skills, we're teaching dribbling skills, we're teaching striking skills because we have Deon "Pussy" Flowers, he is a striker and he is teaching the kids how to score goals. We have Nigel Franklin, he is a defender, he is teaching the kids how to defend. My self, I am a midfielder teaching them how to control the ball. We have different positions which we are catering for."
Deon 'Pussy' Flowers,
"The thing we are working on, which is the hardest thing, but we are getting there, is discipline. That is what the sport is about - discipline. That is what we are tryomg to build, discipline and football."
Sherese Bernardez, Organizer
"I help motivate the girls them to come out and play football just like the guys because the girls have a chance just like the boys."
Markeisha Leslie, Participant
"I could kick, I could dribble, I could score, just like my dad."
Jules Vasquez,
Who is your dad?
Markeisha Leslie,
"Mark 'Kelo' Leslie."
Misha Gotoy, Participant
"I am out here learning something instead of watching TV."
Oryn Swazo, Participant
"I've learnt a lot of stuff, especially from that man right over there - Deon Flowers."
Jules Vasquez,
Do you think you could pass him if he was trying to play defense on you?
Oryn Swazo,
"Of course. I would try hard and trying hard is the way how you get your goals."
Jose Zelaya, Participant
"I wanted to say to them thanks for the camp because if this camp wasn't here we would have been idling on the street and we wouldn't have been doing anything."
And for these southside stars - that kind of community love makes efforts like these worth it.
Those wishing to contribute can call Phillip Palacio at 601-8788.
