Monterrey, Mexico (Part 1)

After a short refresh following a long week of programs in Guatemala, I was already eager to get back to the niños. I shifted focus to a city we’d done some work in earlier in the year, one that brings about its own wave of fond memories – Monterrey, Mexico. After a set of sessions back in March, I actually tried to return in the summer to run a few programs and hopefully catch a couple friends playing in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship as they represented their countries, which include Costa Rica, Trinidad & Tobago and more. They of course were vying for World Cup and Olympic qualifying berths.

Around that time, Monterrey was dealing with a severe drought that left many without running water all throughout the city. On top of that, our beneficiaries were wrapping up their last week of classes which, filled with a bunch of different festivities, meant that the schedule simply would not work. I tabled the plans until the timing sounded right – and just like that, the time came.

I reached out ahead of time to one of our friends, Monica Flores, who plays professionally for CF Monterrey or las Rayadas de Monterrey to see if she had some time to drop by one of the sessions. Credit to Moni, I only gave her about a week’s notice yet she was absolutely down for the cause. “110% yes” she said, and that was all she needed to say.

I told her it’d likely be at the same place as before – our trusty beneficiaries from Hogar Ortigosa, and that it would be a group of younger kids, probably a new set of students than before just to stay aligned with our goal of introducing as many kids as we can to the transformative power of sport, and introducing as many beneficiaries as we could to positive role models like her. Participation of professional players like Moni is our little way of connecting the next generation with mentors, people with the platform and wherewithal to say “I did it, and you can too”.

“Just keep me posted!” she said, even offering to pass along the invite to some of her compañeras as well.

“Am I allowed to be a part of Wednesday’s session too??” Moni texted me on Thursday.

Moni and I ran a few sessions together in March. The kids absolutely adored her and she had this contagious joy about her; a joy that almost always found itself reflected in the eyes and smiles of the kids participating in those sessions. Honestly, we’d be crazy not to have her come through for a second program!

We finalized the details for Friday and penciled in the session for the following Wednesday pending some last-minute things.

“I’m so excited!” were her parting words as we both waited in anticipation for the next day’s event.

The Friday session was blocked out for the early afternoon. The kids are usually dismissed at 2 p.m., but for a special occasion, we were allowed to go a little over time. I showed up early, around 12:30 to get reacquainted and to set up equipment. At the door, I was met with the warm welcome of Ortigosa’s guard, who led me on through to one of the Sisters in charge of overseeing day-to-day operations. From there, my contact, Maria Alicia entered the fray and did so with a bubbly smile and a comforting embrace. She’s been with Ortigosa for nearly 10 years, but had delegated our last sessions in March to a coworker, hence why this was a new meeting for the two of us.

Monica was coming back from a morning training session with the team and arrived early as well, around 12:45. I peeked up from setting up our listening drill to see her and her radiant smile walking down towards the court. She was rocking an old Rayadas away kit from the last season – a white Puma number with some light blue accents, “M. Flores” and the number 5 tattooed across the back of it. We finished setting up the listening drill together and laid out a loose plan for the session – spreading each activity out across the many multi-purpose courts that Ortigosa campus had.

With familiar faces already well on display for the day, another one entered the fold – Ortigosa’s PE Teacher, Profe Esteban. I guess I myself would have to go by “Profe Stephen” today! I had given him about 15 extra soccer balls during our March session, which he was very grateful for back then, continuing even until now.

With everything ready, equipment set up, and coaches prepped – all that was missing were the kids, the most important part. Almost right on cue, the kids came marching out of their classroom towards the gradas in front of our setup. We were set to work with 30 participants between eight and nine years old – one of my favorite age groups, but the sheer numbers could spell trouble. I wasn’t tripping though, I knew Moni and I could handle it ourselves.

Hogar Ortigosa runs as a school and as a casa hogar, meaning this would be a mixed session, similar to ours back in March. Three participants were from the casa hogar, which currently houses 40 girls and believe it or not, in pre-pandemic times it was home to nearly 90-100 girls! As the kids began to situate themselves, Moni spotted one from afar, a young girl wearing the same exact Rayadas jersey as her.

“I like your jersey!” she yelled out, while pointing down at her own. “Somos gemelas!” she added with a smile, one that was quickly reciprocated by the jersey’s owner.

“Tenemos que poner ‘Flores’ y el número 5 on the back” I said to the girl with a wink.

As the kids made their way onto different levels of the bleachers, I noticed their hands were full – with school projects, yes, but other little posters as well. As Monica and I stood in front of the bleachers, surveying the small audience before us, it soon became clear what those posters were. They were handmade, hand-drawn signs the kids had crafted in anticipation of Moni’s visit. It was a hero’s welcome and knowing just how special of a person she is, a more than deserved one at that.

“¡Bienvenidas Rayadas!” “Soy tu fan” “Te amo” “Tu lo lograrás” “¡Bienvenidas Rayadas a Colegio Leon Ortigosa” “¡Gracias por visitarnos, Rayadas!”

The list goes on and on, I’m not even gonna lie it was a mountain of handmade presents for Monica. Next to their artwork, the names of the artists – the young kids who had spent so much time and effort to make sure that Moni felt special and valued, mirroring our own intent for visiting and carrying out the session for them. With that incredibly warm welcome out of the way, we kicked things off with a little charla, a strong round of applause for Moni, and a call for the kids to pair up so we could break into our listening drill.

From there, we made our way towards familiar pastures and court #1, complete with a techo to provide a small bit of comfort from the sunny, 90 degree day. I explained the drill and ran a few rounds, then let Moni run a few of her own. She put her own little spin on it, which was awesome to see. I looked and saw her yell out “pies!” while touching her head, then “pecho!” while touching her feet – it sent the kids for a loop, but man did they enjoy the added bit of fun that came with it.

“Okay chicos mira, necesitamos un capitán para ayudarnos con toda la clase de fútbol!” I yelled out, bringing the program to a quick, though short-lived halt.

Though Dana took a few minutes to find her footing, by the end of it she was fully-engaged – “Panza!” “Espalda!” “Pelota!” she yelled out with pride. Monica marveled at a young girl shining her bright light.

After this one, we moved onto relay races, which were a surefire hit back in March. Monica graciously demoed some of the variations, her effort met with loads of applause from the kids who were all watching along intently. Some groups were struggling a little bit with the most basic techniques, and as I made my way over to Profe Esteban he explained that the kids have really struggled since the pandemic. Their learning has been stunted, their concentration cloudier than ever, “but they’re trying their best,” he said.

A water break later, it was time for our one on one drill towards the goal. On the left side of the quad, Ortigosa has a beautiful turf field, one I had been dying to use back in March, though the scorching weather didn’t allow for it.

I seized my moment and brought the group over that way, splitting them into two teams while en route. We picked a goalkeeper, probably one that was too good, Moni later said with a laugh, since he maintained a 15-minute long shutout for the entirety of the drill. The kids gave it their everything, trying their best to improve their first touch and put a shot on target before their counterparts could do the same. I made my way to the bleachers to prepare our soccer ball prizes, just manning the whistle while Moni rolled soccer balls out in front of the kids from each team rushing forward.

Finally, 2 o’clock came around and we made our way back to the bleachers for a wrap-up charla followed by prizes, photos, and autographs, como siempre. I made sure to thank the kids for being so well-behaved, before asking them to give Moni another round of applause for her time.

“Let’s give a round of applause to you guys too!” I said, gesturing towards the group, knowing that this work is a two-way street and what we do would never exist if it weren’t for the kids.

“I hope you guys learned something today, did you learn something?” I asked. “Raise your hand like this if you did.”

“I learned that there are a lot of lessons that come with playing football,” said Moni’s gemela in the Rayadas away kit.

One boy went as far as to give us a three page essay for his response “In the first prueba I learned this, in the next I learned this, in the last I learned to wait my turn, etc.” It was very cute! Man, kids are funny!

With the chit chat out the way, I dumped out a black garbage bag to reveal 30 shiny new Puma soccer balls intended to find new owners at this exact moment – many of the Puma balls were painted in Rayadas colors, with different mixes of blue, white, pink, and silver. With Monica rocking the same colors that day, the soccer balls were absolutely perfect – and the kids couldn’t wait to get their hands on them. We called each participant forward one by one, as they looked at the pile of footballs like a kid on Christmas morning, sifting through it to find the one that was just right for them.

“Step forward and pick a ball, then please go give Moni a saludo after,” I had instructed them, which they were all more than happy to do.

When every kid had a new ball in hand, it was time for autographs. Moni took her time, carefully writing her signature on each ball, and signing any other drawings or papers that each kid brought with them.

The black Puma Dortmund balls were a bit tougher to do, but we managed to sign in small lettering in the tiny neon accents on each ball.

“Wait, I have an idea!” said an older boy, disappearing into his bag and running back with a “Corrector”.

I clutched the white-out pen and laughed deeply, “Pues vamos a ver chico,” I said with a shrug, and hey, it worked pretty well!

Once the day’s group had had their fair share of firmas, a couple other familiar faces made their way over to the bleachers.

“Hi Profe! Hi Moni!” they yelled out.

They were old participants from our session back in March!

“Oh, I remember you!” I said to a few, “What about you – were you here in March?” I asked another.

“Ah profe, no, I’m in secundaria. I’m only 12 years old, turning 13 soon,” one girl said.

“Pues mira chica we have another class next Wednesday with girls from secundaria” – I said with a smile, “So let’s see.”

One girl from March’s session currently living at the casa hogar even ran back to her room only to come up to us with an old, white Sondico ball. It was tattooed with signatures still preserved even six months later, including Burkenroad #2, Valeria Valdez #26, y Moni Flores #5. The ball too was still in absolutely pristine condition. Just to see that and how well-kept and cherished it was is enough to make the heart smile.

As things began to wind down, I called over María Alicia as we discussed some plans for the following Wednesday. I told her a couple athletes were pending, but Monica was available as well so there was a pretty big chance she could be the one helping carry it out. “I’m honestly a little worried we might not have a professional on Wednesday,” I had told her – the act of expression alone helped alleviate the burden I’d been holding onto for a while.

“No, Stephen no te preocupes, the kids are familiar with the escudo of Rayadas, and that of other teams too, but thanks to you they’re also fans of Around The Worlds,” she said. “If you bring someone it’s nice, but even if you come and do the class by yourself it’s just as special for them, I promise.”

I won’t lie, her words helped, and they gave me comfort when comfort was needed, but I was still determined to have that group of girls on Wednesday meet a professional player.

As Monica headed back home with a pile of hand-drawn welcome gifts in tow, we called an Uber back to La Fe and I took a moment to thank her yet again.

We were going to be seeing her the following Monday ahead of her team’s big clash with Chivas late into the night, but this message was more to give flowers where flowers were due. I told her how special it was to have her at the session, “You’re a hero to those kids Moni don’t ever forget that,” I added for good measure, having seen firsthand the way they all looked at her and interacted with her just moments before.

“I loved it! I was looking forward to it all week!” she said.