Petition: Roxbury Needs a Middle School Soccer Program

ROXBURY, NJ – Eisenhower Middle School (EMS) needs soccer teams, asserts Succasunna resident Carolina Pinero, who has been gathering signatures to an online petition seeking the teams' establishment.

So far, she’s collected 155 signatures and hopes to present the petition to the Roxbury School Board on June 3.

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“Our children live and breathe the sport of soccer,” Pinero wrote on her petition page. “Their passion for the game is undeniable, and they dream of playing on a team with their friends from middle school into high school. However, for over 10 years our beloved Roxbury Township has not had a middle school soccer team for boys and girls. This absence denies our children an opportunity to grow as players, teammates and individuals.”

In an interview, Pinero said her goal is to convince the school board to do the same for soccer that it did recently for baseball and softball: Authorize the creation of an EMS soccer program on a trial basis to gauge its viability. In addition to baseball and softball, EMS has basketball, cross-country, track and field, field hockey and wrestling teams .

Currently, seventh- and eighth-grade students in Roxbury can either play soccer with the Roxbury Soccer Club recreation-level program or the more competitive – but fee-based – PDA Sporting Club Premier teams. Pinero said she's paying a lot of money so her sons, David - going into seventh-grade next year - and Daniel - going into sixth grade - can play with PDA.

'More Affordable Option'

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“I want my kids to play through the school (when they get older),” she said. “They’re now playing with PDA, and it costs me a lot for my two boys ... This middle school boys and girls soccer team would offer a more affordable option for the children of Roxbury, specifically those families who cannot afford to pay for very expensive travel teams. Also, the Roxbury students will be playing with their friends from school instead of children from other towns they don't get to know too well because they only see each other at practices two times a week and games on some weekends."

She said a middle school soccer league exists, including teams from 12 nearby schools, and is ready to accept EMS teams once they're created.

Pinero said she started the petition drive because she was told the school board needed to see the level of public support before giving its blessing to an EMS program.

She was told each new team would need to raise about $15,000 per year during the trial period to pay for coaches, referees, uniforms, busing and other expenses. Her goal is to find donations to cover these costs which would diminish if the district subsequently agreed to fund the program.

“Roxbury Township has always been about community spirit and nurturing young talent,” says the petition page. “Let's extend this spirit to our growing soccer enthusiasts by establishing a middle school boys and girls soccer team and in turn promoting healthy lifestyles and opportunities for our youth through sport.”

Pinero is also asking businesses to sponsor the teams if they get approved by the school board. "If your organization or business feels led to offer any donation, we would happily create a banner or something in return to help promote your business at our home games," she said. "With our donors or sponsors we would be bringing back a middle school team into a district that has not been around for about 14 years."

She said businesses interested in discussing donations can email her at carolina.pinero@yahoo.com.

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