sport
350 Caracas Children Learn Soccer Skills at Peace Clinic
SOMOS program draws young players from Petare and nearby neighborhoods to build skills through structured soccer sessions.
How we reported this
Three hundred fifty children from the Sucre Municipal Community League gathered at the La Dolorita Sports Center soccer field in Caracas on August 4, 2013, for a day-long clinic run by SOMOS - A Goal for Peace.
The clinic forms part of ongoing efforts to use organized sport as a way to keep young people engaged in positive activities across Caracas neighborhoods that face persistent challenges with violence and limited opportunities. Programs like this one continue to draw attention because they combine on-field training with lessons on discipline and teamwork that residents say help steer adolescents away from street life.
Participants came from Petare, Filas de Mariche, Palo Verde, La Bombilla and La Dolorita itself. Coaches and community leaders selected by the program ran 24 rotating stations that covered recreational play, skill drills and competitive matches. Boys and girls took part on equal terms, with the sessions designed to reinforce values such as respect, communication and fair play both during and after the games.
Program Reach and Structure
The same initiative has already placed 1,500 children and adolescents from Petare and surrounding communities into regular soccer squads under the Sucre Municipal Community League. It has also created nine separate training modules for coaches and players, covering everything from basic technique to group dynamics. The August clinic marked the second such event held that year at the La Dolorita venue.
SOMOS - A Goal for Peace operates through a partnership among Project Peace Latin America, the Petare Friends and Sports Foundation and the Sports Foundation for Development. Additional backing comes from the Sports Network for Development in Latin America, an effort supported by the CAF Development Bank of Latin America that focuses on social inclusion for at-risk youth.
Looking Ahead in the Local League
Residents interested in the next round of sessions can contact the Sucre Municipal Community League directly through its established channels at the La Dolorita Sports Center. The program continues to accept new participants from the listed neighborhoods, with coaches emphasizing equal access and consistent attendance as the main requirements for involvement.