I try hard to avoid political posts. I’ll do my best here, too, but this is necessary. There are bigger global issues and larger national debates than anything happening in youth sports. But this week, I received two emails that hit me in the gut and reminded me why the work we do isn’t just transactional. It’s also deeply human.
The first email came from a club admin whose players come from immigrant and refugee families. This is what she wrote:
“With increased ICE activity, and an escalation of violent tactics, our families are scared. They are afraid to leave their homes, and attending soccer games has come up as a point of concern, especially after ICE was spotted at local parks where soccer games were occurring this weekend. What policies are being enacted at game locations to ensure safety for our families and athletes?”
These are children. Kids who just want to play, laugh, and compete… now afraid that attending a soccer game might put their families at risk. That should stop all of us in our tracks.
Within 24 hours, I received another message — this one from a parent about playing time, and whether a player was getting the minutes they believed they deserved. It was sent with urgency and frustration. An excerpt:
“We’re very concerned that my child is not being given fair and equal opportunities on the field, and that decisions about playtime may be compromising their development and experience this season.”
Normally, these two messages would never coexist in the same emotional space. I receive versions of both all the time. But to see them back-to-back — one about a child’s safety, the other about a child’s minutes — made me pause.
On one hand: ➡️ “Why isn’t my child playing more?”
On the other: ➡️ “Our children are scared to attend their own games.”
Let me be clear: both concerns, in their own worlds, matter. If you care about your child’s development, I respect that. We all do. But side-by-side, these emails forced perspective.
Youth sports can be incredibly transactional — schedules, standings, rosters, game times, fields, payments, logistics. But they are also profoundly human — safety, belonging, dignity, joy, identity, and community.
When the political climate becomes so intense that kids are afraid to go outside and play, something is broken. Not in soccer — in society.
Before putting on their jersey, no child should ever have to ask:
“Is it safe for me to go to my soccer game?”
We can debate competition, development, and playing time all day long — and yes, those discussions have their place. But humanity must come first. Always.
To the families who are afraid right now: We see you. We care. We are working with U.S. Soccer, USYS, local partners, and community organizations to do everything within our power to keep our environments safe, welcoming, and inclusive. Even though we are, rightly so, bound by laws and law enforcement actions outside our control, we will not look away from your fear or your reality.
And to all of us — myself included — who get caught up in the heat of competition: maybe every now and then, we zoom out and remember that for some families, stepping onto a soccer field is not just a game. It’s an act of courage.
If our mission is truly “for all kids,” then all must mean all.
Even when — and especially when — the world outside the touchline tries to say otherwise.
SIDENOTE: If you’re interested in my reply regarding the ICE email, I’ve pasted it below.
— Simon
Executive Director, Oregon Youth Soccer Association
Hi (name removed),
Thank you for writing and sharing your concerns — I want you to know that I deeply appreciate you reaching out under such stressful circumstances, and my sincere sympathy goes out to your families and players who are feeling afraid right now.
I want to be clear about where things stand with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and our limitations: unfortunately, the Oregon Youth Soccer Association is at the mercy of law enforcement’s discretion when it comes to ICE operations. We do not have the authority to prevent ICE from being present at public parks or events, and if they show up, we must comply with what they ask. While we can coordinate and plan, we cannot override federal law-enforcement actions.
That said, I want to assure you that we are actively in conversation with U.S. Soccer Federation and U.S. Youth Soccer about how we can better support diverse teams, immigrant and refugee families, and ensure the safest possible environment for participation. These discussions include how to share best practices, how to communicate with families, and how to work with local jurisdictions to monitor enforcement activity and its impact on youth sports events.
In parallel, while we recognize these ideas might sound a little unconventional or “outside the box”, here are some suggested strategies we could propose to teams and families – not as guarantees, but as tools to increase awareness, preparedness and a sense of control:
- Establish a “lookout” / buddy network – Within the team/community, nominate a few trusted adults who agree to keep a lookout around the park-venue before/during matches, to monitor for unfamiliar vehicles, unusual activity by plain-clothes individuals, or ICE-style uniforms/vehicles.
- Pre-game gathering zones – Encourage families to arrive a little early and gather in a safe, visible location (perhaps closer to the field entrance) so the athletes and families aren’t isolated deep in the park. Visibility often reduces risk.
- Mobile tracking of movements – Families who feel at risk could share arrival times, park locations, car-pool routes, so someone knows when and how they are traveling in. A simple group text or app check-in could help someone log “we’ve arrived / we’re leaving”.
- Use of “Know Your Rights” websites/resources – While this is not specific to games, being informed helps. For example, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center has toolkits and downloadable “Know Your Rights” guides for encounters with ICE. Immigrant Legal Resource Center+2National Immigrant Justice Center+2
- Social media / community alerts – In some places, immigrant communities share alerts when ICE activity is reported (though this has caveats, including the risk of panic or misinformation). For instance, community groups in Florida have used Instagram to post alerts about ICE sightings. Axios
- Safe-space orientation for children – Encourage families to talk with athletes about what to do if they feel threatened: go with a trusted adult, stay in groups, avoid isolated parking lots, and have a designated “safe adult” on site who children know they can go to if they feel unsure.
- Coordinate with park authorities/local law enforcement – We could ask the park department or local police to increase visibility at game sites (e.g., more patrol cars, lighting, signage) and communicate that this is a youth sports event with diverse participants and families who may feel vulnerable.
- Alternate venue options – If feasible, consider choosing venues that are closer to the home area of families (so travel is shorter), or in well-lit, busy parks (rather than remote fields) to reduce opportunity for unnoticed enforcement activity.
Again, I want to emphasize that none of the above can guarantee avoidance of ICE activity, but they may help families feel more aware and prepared rather than feeling powerless.
We will continue working with U.S. Soccer and USYS to advocate for clearer protocols and resources that our member clubs can deploy. I will make sure to keep you updated as soon as we have more concrete steps or policy tools to share.
Please let your families know that their safety and sense of belonging matter to us. If any of your players or families would like direct resource links (in Spanish, or other languages) for “know your rights” or community legal clinics, I would be happy to send those over. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention and for your leadership in caring for a diverse and inclusive team environment.
I feel the angst and pain in your email, and as ‘professional’ as I tried to write my response, I’ll put on my human hat, and be less professional for a second and say that is it complete bullshit that we’re having to have this conversation about kids playing soccer in our communities and that they have to think about this instead of just going out and playing the beautiful game.
With empathy and solidarity,
Simon