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Last fall Michelle DeKam drove out of state for her son Jayden, a first-grader, to play soccer with kids his own age.
On the drive from Luverne to Iowa, the young mom began thinking about a local soccer league.
“If Rock Rapids could have 90 kids playing soccer in one grade, why not in Luverne?” she asked.
This spring, with the help of Luverne Community Education and the Luverne Optimist Club, DeKam revitalized the local intramural youth soccer program.
The program kicked off in early August with about a third of the number of players soccer generated decades earlier.
As a youth, DeKam (nee Raddle) participated in the soccer league sponsored by the Luverne Optimist Club. The Optimists continue to be sponsors under DeKam’s revitalization efforts.
The original soccer league began in 1987 and at its peak involved 300 kids ages preschool through seventh grade divided into 20 teams.
Gradually the program became inactive after not enough volunteer coaches, referees and organizers could be found each year.
DeKam’s first task in revitalizing the soccer league was to put out a call for volunteer coaches and referees. She completed the organizing herself.
“I sent a mass email out to everyone asking for two to three coaches for each team,” she said. “That way the coaches don’t have to be at every game.”
DeKam worked with Luverne Community Education for publicity and class registration.
The league provided another soccer opportunity in the community. An existing community education class teaches the soccer fundamentals to kids.
By June, thanks to DeKam’s efforts, 96 children ages 4 through fourth grade signed up to participate in the soccer league.
“A lot never played soccer,” she said. “My rules are simple: I want you to have fun.”
One of those first-time players was DeKam’s third-grade daughter, Renae, who enjoys running and now likes the socialization and competitiveness involved in the game.
DeKam divided participants into eight teams, and each team had two to three volunteer coaches.
She was able to locate and use equipment from the previous league including the Optimists’ slip-on jerseys, goal nets and posts. She measured and chalked lines for the two game fields west of the Luverne Public Schools campus.
DeKam chose fun team names based on jersey colors for the four preschool/kindergarten and the four grades 1-4 teams.
Team names include Vikings, Twins, Gophers, Cardinals, MNUFC, Wild, Timberwolves and Packers, (DeKam admitted she ran out of Minnesota team names and chose one from the neighboring state of Wisconsin.)
Each team played 10 scheduled league games on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The last games are tonight (Sept. 5.).
DeKam plans on organizing another intramural soccer league next year, possibly expanding the opportunity to include more grades.