Weed and Seed Funds Youth Soccer

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Juniclei Miranda

Photo by Linda Karn

(posted Mar 11)

Eagledale Lafayette Square Area Weed and Seed Steering Committee approved a $3,140 expenditure to help support Indianapolis Public Schools 96 and 79 youth soccer programs. The spring program will offer a form of indoor soccer called futsal. Futsal is an indoor game that can be played on the basketball court. The ball is heavier and does not bounce to acclimate to the indoor environment.

The program was organized by Juniclei Miranda, Ademar Giorin and Colleen Kliewer of IPS. Kliewer, a bilingual social worker, sought the funds to help steer kids from gangs, but it was Miranda's offer to organize an intramural soccer program that started the program. Miranda explained that IPS is a pioneer to offer futsal as an after school program. Miranda was a former Brazilian soccer player who is now dedicating his time to coach the youth and to inspire discipline and incentives to stay focused on academics. "The goal is to build good citizens," he said.

Kliewer explained that students will be cut from the team if they are in violation of joining or associating with a gang. She did not answer specifically the details of how they plan to reach out to those who have strayed, other than they are working on a plan. The program is already offered at Harshman Middle School in a partnership with the YMCA that requires 60 minutes of after school homework and then soccer.

Deb Falls of the steering committee questioned soccer's violent history association with the fans. She was also concerned that parents would become violent at games.

Miranda responded by saying the violence happens at the professional level and that he will be working with elementary kids where discipline will be enforced. The violence is usually attributed to the indulgence of alcohol.

Kliewer did not expect a high parental attendance at the games, thus reducing a chance for violence. The purpose of the program is to offer activities to those kids who otherwise might go home to a latch key situation.

Drew Wignall of the steering committee requested the program always remain non-competitive intramural sport to prevent disenfranchising less athletic players. He explained that once it became competitive among schools that not everyone would get to play because the focus would be about winning.

The committee also agreed to spend $488.84 to design a public relations crime deterrent ticket. The ticket would be a non-penalty warning ticket. The purpose is to remind people that their cars become targets for break-ins when leaving valuables exposed in car seats. IMPD Northwest District Major Paul Ciesielski said the idea is to deter people from keeping valuables in the car and reduce the number of stolen cars. The ticket would be tracked for statistics.

Weed and Seed Executive Director Scott Rosenberger agreed that it must be tracked for the purpose of the Weed and Seed grant to see if the programs are making an impact.

The committee also agreed to spend $276.61 to design a flyer for the police to give to crime victims. The flyer is to serve as a method to educate people that they reside in a Weed and Seed site and to become involved to stop crime. The approval was based on the recommendations to be written in English and Spanish and to include the police officer's name and incident case number to give flier more meaning to the victim.

The committee also approved organizing a parade committee to further promote the Weed and Seed program.