By Brian Shaw | [email protected]

Weeks after the Miners girls soccer team started collecting donations of soccer equipment such as gently used cleats and shin guards, soccer balls and clothing outside the gates of their soccer field, they saw firsthand why those efforts were so important the morning of Saturday, Sept. 24.

That’s when the Miners picked up those bags and boxes of donations from the school, loaded them into vehicles and drove 12 miles north toward the city of South Salt Lake, where in conjunction with the Utah Refugee Soccer program they participated in a two-hour long soccer camp.

The camp was held from 10 a.m. to noon at Central Park Community Center in South Salt Lake, a city of about 35,000 long known for being a reliable hub for refugees from war-torn, disadvantaged countries—thanks in part to the many humanitarian aid, relief and grant-in-aid programs that exist within that city’s limits and serve that community as well as surrounding areas.

The camp for refugees ages 5-14 was a fun way for the Miners to give a little back to the community and show these kids that despite the many obstacles they may face here in the United States, the sport of soccer and a little friendship can always go a long way toward bridging gaps.

For the Miners, the soccer camp also fulfilled their yearly service project requirement, and though this did occur in mid-season, it was something they were happy to carve time out of their busy work and school schedules to come and do.

“I am really excited for the Bingham girls soccer team to get involved with this program!” said Sara King, a mother of one of the Bingham players who serves as a team manager for the Miners. “I think it will make a very positive impact on both the high school girls and the refugee kids.”

At the end of the camp came the most exciting part. That’s when the Miners players and coaches finished distributing the greatly needed items to the area kids and offered a few more parting words of advice and encouragement.

Then the Miners headed back on the road, and into the final portion of their soccer season, where they are currently enjoying a 5-2 start to region play after a rocky preseason. We’ll have a full region recap and state tournament preview in next month’s South Jordan Journal.

For more on the refugee soccer programs in your area and how you can help, please visit refugeesoccer.org.