Soccer clinic aims to give back

Mercy HousingMarco Sanchez has loved soccer since he can remember and almost always has a soccer ball handy to practice some moves. Now he wants to share those skills with his community.

Sanchez will head up a free soccer clinic for children age five to 10 years at White Rock Village starting tomorrow, July 23. The three-week clinic will be held on Thursdays at 10 a.m. at 2200 Valley View Parkway, El Dorado Hills. Any child (in the age group) who resides in El Dorado County can attend for free.

White Rock Village is a property of Mercy Housing which provides affordable housing to create stable and healthy environments for families, seniors and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities.

“It is meaningful for me to give back because I was once the kid getting the help,” said Sanchez, who has lived at White Rock Village for 10 years. “White Rock has helped me with my homework, provided positive role models and assisted us with our housing. I am grateful and want to give back.”

The clinic aims to teach kids basic soccer skills through drills, games and scrimmages. Sanchez, who will be assisted by volunteers from Hands 4 Hope, also volunteered in the summer lunch program this summer that provided lunch for the children of White Rock Village and any children who live in El Dorado County.

Sanchez, who received the Youth Star Award from Vision Coalition in 2014, also assists with the homework club, art program and weekly field trips to the CSD pool on Wednesdays. He will be attending American River College and plans to major in Architecture and Kinesiology with a minor in Spanish.

Those interested in having their child participate in the soccer clinic, contact Resident Services Coordinator Eddie Zacapa at (916)941-2357 so that volunteers can plan accordingly.

This article originally appeared in Village Life. You can read the original here.