Soccer Sisters

Kimberly Sanchez, New York, USA

Goal Click teamed up with New York City FC to tell the inside story of the New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI), building 50 mini soccer pitches in communities across the five New York City boroughs with partners from the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC, U.S. Soccer Foundation, adidas, and Etihad Airways. Youth participants aged 8-23 told the story of their own football life, street soccer culture, and the impact of the pitches on their communities.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your football life?

My name is Kimberly Sanchez. I’m ten years old and I have four siblings. I go to this soccer program on Fridays and Saturdays, I also play after school, and sometimes we go outside with my sisters - we go to the park and sometimes my sister teaches me to play soccer.

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?

My sister and me went to the park (Triborough Bridge Playground B). It was dark and we started to play soccer. Usually I’m afraid of the dark but when I’m playing soccer outside I actually feel really safe. And now we play a lot at night. People who are young can still play soccer, even though it’s hard when you are young. Everyone can play soccer no matter what.

We were playing outside of our apartment and I was kicking the ball towards my sister, but I kicked it too hard for her. She couldn’t catch it in time and it went under the neighbour’s van. Anyone who plays soccer outside in the street knows that this happens a lot, and now my knees hurt, but it’s okay. In every single place I go to there’s always a car that catches my ball. When I kick the ball under the car and it gets stuck sometimes it’s a little crazy because I might get stuck in there like the ball does, but that’s why I always have someone to come with me.

One day my sister Selene and me were playing soccer at Rainey Park across from our house. Selene kicked the ball so hard it went in the tree and I had the best idea; that I could put her on my shoulders and that she can get it. This happens all the time and every single time her feet stink but I’m used to it. The best soccer buddy you can have sometimes is your own sibling. She’s only 7, so it’s really easy but at least she’s trying her best. Maybe one day she can play with my baby brother and teach him like I did.

It shows how my sister and me get along. If you’re blind or are a different color it doesn’t matter. Everyone can play soccer because no one can stop him or her. I hope my sister Selene becomes a famous soccer player, because when I always see her playing around it seems like she’s happy and happy that she’s there. 

We were choosing shoes for a game at the adidas store and it was hard to decide because I like them all. This was my second pair of shoes ever and I needed them to be good! When you go to the store it’s going to be hard, because you’ll like all of them. When you choose your first soccer shoes and you put them on and play, it feels like you are already good at soccer and you run so fast. I used to wear my sneakers that were black and white and pink, but they didn’t fit me anymore and hurt my toes when I played soccer.

Can you tell us your personal story?

I like copying my sister. I like her drawings - she was so good that’s how we got along. When I was in school I had lots of bullies. When I was in first grade there were lots of soccer balls but usually only the boys use them. So I usually take it and use it alone. Then there was this new girl. She said “can I use?” so then we both used and now we play a lot together. She was always going outside for a long time. When I was young my sister was playing soccer and I wanted to play with her since that day, because it seems like she had fun playing soccer. Since my sister would go to soccer games and practice and play with her friends she started to bring me and now WE have soccer, WE have games. When I was little I never knew a soccer ball would be in my life.

Why is football important for your community?

Soccer is a big, big sport because people from other countries play a lot of soccer. Soccer gives people things that they never had before, like bring people together or play with other kids. We wouldn’t meet other kids without this football and I like that everyone can play. It’s good for kids who want to play soccer and are not like other people. 

What does football mean to you? What ambitions do you have for the future?

My goal is to be better than my sisters and show who is the boss. Soccer gave me a lot of friends and skills to teach my other friends that like soccer, even though sometimes they don’t understand me. My life without soccer would be boring and I wouldn’t go outside a lot and have games to play. When I score a goal, how I use my brain and how I use my body to run and dribble makes me so happy because I’m doing something good.

What impact has the NYCSI programme had on you?

Now I can go somewhere that is an actual pitch and it’s close to my home. I meet new people that like to go to that place and play soccer like me. My sister said there’s other blue pitches like mine. It’s like my story is happening to other places a thousand more times. 

What do you think the future looks like for soccer in New York and the USA? What do you want to change?

The future could be like soccer programs near parks and near places where other people live. The future looks like a big blue pitch that everyone can go to. For some people that might mean something a lot deeper - it’s like a kingdom or religious place to them, soccer style. I think soccer is perfect the way it is. It’s other people that say you can’t play because you’re different. Or maybe some people can’t play because they don’t have soccer fields or balls like me when I was younger. 

What are the opportunities for female footballers in your community, New York and the USA?

Girls can do anything, it’s not like sport is just for every boy. It is for EVERYBODY. Girls get less money than boys when they lose or play a game. It’s kind of like the book “I am Billie Jean King”. They can practice with other girls or they join clubs. More girls are starting to like soccer and I’m happy more people are starting to let them play.