Pasco elementary school students compete in soccer tournament

Students from nine elementary schools in the Pasco School District competed in the All Stars Soccer Tournament. 

Captain Gray Elementary, in the boys’ category, and Robert Frost Elementary, in the girls’ category, won the All Stars Soccer Tournament. The event took place on May 23 at the Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco.

Participating schools also included Chess, Curie STEM, Columbia River, Emerson, Franklin STEM, Longfellow and Twain.

Ramon Ayala is the vice principal of Robert Frost Elementary School. He coordinated the event. 

“The goal of the tournament is to expose our kids to play sports. These kids are playing soccer. We want to get them ready for when they get to middle school,” Ayala said.

Mayra Aguirre was at the tournament with her son, 11-year-old Angel Aguirre. He’s the left winger for Robert Frost’s team.

“He’s always shown really good interest of soccer. I think it’s really important for parents to be supportive, because I feel like that gives the kids the excitement,” Mayra Aguirre said.

Angel Aguirre said he wants to play professionally when he grows up. 

“My dream, to be a player, a soccer player and to get into the Real Madrid team,” Angel Aguirre said in Spanish.

Juan Nunez, a 9-year-old, also participated in the tournament. He said he has been playing for two years and enjoys it. 

“I like to play … goalie, because it’s risky,” he said.

Nunez, like Angel Aguirre, is also dreaming of being part of a world-renowned soccer club: Barcelona. Nunez wants to follow in the footsteps of Gavi, his favorite player.  He said his parents support him. 

“They like it a lot because I’m not, like, I’m playing a video game for Instagram,” he said.

Lucrecia Ramirez, Nunez’s mother, thinks soccer contributes to family unity and health.

“It is a game where children can release their stress and get all their emotions out and it is also good for their health,” she said.

Ayala says the tournament is held every year and seeks to engage students in sports while developing social skills.