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BRIDGE CITY SOCCER ACADEMY IS IN, IN PART, AS PART OF RECREATION REIMAGINE.
PRIOR TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT MILDRED HARRIS WAS CLOSING, THE IDEA WAS FOR US TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS THERE TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE PARK.
AND, AND SO IN A WAY WE DID THAT CUZ A LOT OF OUR ATHLETES THAT ARE PART OF THAT ARE PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
SOME OF THEM HAVE NEVER PLAYED AT ONE OF OUR PARKS, SO MAJORITY OF THEM RESIDE IN BRIDGE CITY OR IN, IN LIKE A FAR EASTERN PART OF WEST WEGO.
AND SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS WE WANTED TO BRING THEM BACK, LIKE AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE STARTING TO EVOLVE WHAT BRIDGE CITY IS GOING TO BECOME.
FOR THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING SOME OF THOSE RESIDENTS IN.
A LOT OF THEM SPEAK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF 'EM HISPANIC, A LOT OF THEM ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN.
AND WE WERE ABLE, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOME OF THOSE FOLKS BACK TO THE PARK AND REALIZE THAT HEY, YOU KNOW, J P R D YOU CAN PLAY, YOU CAN PLAY EVERY SPORT IMAGINABLE.
WE WANTED TO KIND OF RECONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY OF RICH CITY.
AND SO DOING THIS AND DURING THE SOCCER ACADEMY WITH THEM HELPS US DO THAT.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO CAP IT AT 60 AND I, I LET ANOTHER FIVE IN.
SO WE HAD 60, WE HAD 65 ATHLETES FROM KINDERGARTEN TO FIFTH GRADE, UH, AGES FIVE TO 12.
ALL THE PARENTS THAT COME OUT, THEY PICK THEIR KIDS UP LIKE, UH, AND, AND FROM WHAT THE TEACHERS TELL ME, LIKE THEY ALL LOOK FORWARD TO COMING OUT TO, UH, THE BRIDGE CITY PARK ON THURSDAY, ON, UH, TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS.
SOCCER WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE THE CONDUIT TO GET THE KIDS BACK TO THE PARK.
OUR HOPE IS THAT WE WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE WHAT WE LEARNED FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE AT BRIDGE CITY AND APPLY IT TO SOME OF OUR OTHER PARKS SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER SCHOOLS.
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING, WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD THING WORKING THERE IN THE FUTURE.