On Friday, October 4th soccer players and family members from the Hamlin Park, Austin and McKinley Park communities traveled up to Wilmette for the 13th Crosstown Classic with the Wilmette Wings. The Crosstown Classic gives Urban Initiatives soccer players the chance to travel outside their community so they may become familiar with all of the great parks and people around Chicago and its outlying suburbs.
U-8, U-9 and U-10 Wilmette Wings players all arrived eager to meet the Urban Initiatives soccer players they would be playing with that afternoon. Once Wings players checked-in they dropped their generous donations off at the Donation Station and made their way to the Play with Potential Recess Station. Coach Rosy and Coach April set up fun games and relay races to energize each player.
Once the yellow school busses arrived Urban Initiatives kids exited smiling ear to ear. They were greeted by cheers and applause by U-11 and U-12 Wings players that volunteered to be team captains and referees for the afternoon. 20 soccer fields were filled up with mixed teams of Wings and Urban Initiatives players. After handshakes and introductions the soccer ball got rolling and so did the sweet spot passes and high fives.
“Great kick!” and “Keep trying your hardest!” were shouted by the Wings team captains and referees allowing giving Urban Initiatives and Wings players much more energy to keep playing. As the afternoon went on so did the games, team rotated through the 20 soccer fields so they could play with meet as many new friends possible.
Once games wrapped up, Urban Initiatives and Wings players sat down and enjoyed a little bit of pizza along with some crisp and refreshing apples. Once it was time to say goodbye one final high five was shared between Wings and Urban Initiatives players.
Urban Initiatives would like to thank Urban Initiatives would like to thank the Katy Reichert, Tom Gizynski and the Wings community for generously hosting and organizing this event.
