School buses are running, lunch boxes are packed, pens and pencils are working again. School has begun and, for many, seasons for band, drama and sports have begun, too.
The soccer teams at Reservoir High School have been practicing daily and a team of players has even squeezed in some time to visit with some of the newest neighbors to the school.
Girls from the junior varsity soccer team went to the new Arbor Terrace Retirement Community to visit with residents. The girls brought plants and flowers to the people they visited and had a lot to say about their visit and the facility, which they described as “just like a five-star hotel."
Meron Nephtalem, a player on the team, told me that Arbor Terrace was "really beautiful, and all the people were very welcoming.
"Connecting with the seniors was very fun and their stories were very entertaining. They were very happy to see all of us. We told them about events that were going on at school such as Bingo Night. We also invited them to our last game of the season. A lot of us wanted to sign up as volunteers before we left. It was a wonderful visit, and I would love to do it again.”
Player Kayla Wontumi’s father and sister both work at Arbor Terrace, so she has been on a tour of the community before, but she agreed with Nephtalem and said, “Conversing with the residents, as well as handing them the potted plants, gave not only them, but me, a sense of joy.”
Teammate Derin Aded was reminded of her grandmother when she visited with residents of Arbor Terrace and is excited to return for additional visits so she can “learn a little more about them and become good friends.”
The whole experience was one for the memory books for the soccer team and for the Arbor Terrace residents.
Alex Ripkin summed up the experience when she told me, “It really does show how little acts of kindness, as simple as visiting these people and asking them about themselves, really made their day."
The team agrees that it would be wonderful to see their new friends at a Reservoir soccer game and their visit is certainly worth doing again. Coach Wendell Thomas is to be praised for his work with the team, teaching them about life lessons on and off the field.
Another local soccer team is looking to increase its roster.
Charlie Kirk and Cheryl Wu are longtime coaches for the Greater Laurel United Soccer Club Girls 2005-2006 birth year team. They are looking for a few more players for their fall soccer team. Practice is on Mondays and Thursdays at Panther Park on Brooklyn Bridge Road in Laurel. Games are scheduled for Saturdays in Columbia. Game times vary.
The season has started but continues until the first week of November. If you have a player that might be interested or know of any prospective players, contact Coach Charlie Kirk at ckirk1701@verizon.net or 571-217-3499.
The Laurel Soccer Club was formed in 2005 with the fundamental mission of promoting soccer for area youth. According to its website laurelsoccerclub.org, the teams have “a history of success at Cup play at the State and Regional level, as well as league and tournament play.”
Teams compete in various leagues “including, but not limited to, National Capital Soccer League (NCSL), Eastern Development Program (EDP), Baltimore Beltway Soccer League (BBSL), and Olney Bethesda Soccer League (OBSL). In addition, many players have gone on to distinguish themselves at the collegiate level. This proud record has been achieved through the efforts of a dedicated core of parents, officers, and coaches who provide programs of training and playing opportunity to develop the individual player to his or her maximum potential."
The club also has boys and girls teams for other age groups that may be in need of players, please contact the league Director Steven Haversack at gluscpres@gmail.com if you are interested.