LimaKids

LimaKids is a great non-profit in Peru that was started by a previous Fogarty scholar who's mission is to support for children and adolescents living in orphanages or in socially risky situations. Basically kids who are either living on the streets or in extreme poverty or both, and who are highly vulnerable to violence (physical, psychological and sexual), sexual exploitation and substance abuse. LimaKids runs a medical clinic and soccer clinics but their biggest project is organizing a soccer league for over 20 orphanages around the city.

I went to the coaches meeting last night where we discussed the rules for futsol (5v5 soccer played on a cement court with a heavier ball) and then all the coaches played for two hours in the park nearby. There were dozens of futsol cement courts, filled with people playing pick up, and a few grass fields with men's teams playing under the lights. There was a skateboard park and a few basketball courts as well but the action was on the soccer fields. It gave me the chills to see so many people out in the park late at night (9pm) playing my favorite sport ever - futbol!

I was not prepared to play; I was wearing my glasses, a nice shirt and dress pants since I had come directly from my clinical research training course at the pharmaceutical company, Merck. I played anyway because this was an opportunity I could not pass up and within 15 minutes marco cuatro veces (scored four times) and needless to say they were impressed and I had myself a small fan section from outside the park fence. I had a great time and I can't wait to help coach Eduardo's team, San Franscico (15-17 year old boys). Eduardo has never coached before but he is the only coach that speaks English which is why I got put on his team. I think we'll make a good team.

So I've never coached boys but I've coached pre-teen and teen girls for over 6 years so it can't be much different, right? Let's hope so...

Our games are every other Saturday and we train on Friday and Saturday's, which will keep me busy and get me out of Miraflores.

FYI. A group of us will be running a 10K in October and will be raising money for LimaKids. Any amount that you can contribute at that time would be amazing and really make a difference for the street kids in Lima.