NMT Miners assist Socorro AYSO

Right: NMT Miner coaches James Martin, Jake Smith and Russel Maier with the youngest group of soccer participants.

SOCORRO, N.M., Sept. 5, 2007 -- On Aug. 26, after a tough week of tryouts and training, the New Mexico Tech men’s soccer team organized the third annual soccer clinic for local youth. The free clinic, held at Sedillo Park, is another example of the close relationship that the Miners and Socorro American Youth Soccer Organization have developed. The clinic helps kick off the start of the fall season for young soccer enthusiasts, and also serves AYSO as an opportunity to register additional players.

Left: NMT Miner club president Mike Butkus takes a hit from the kids during the final "drill" of the clinic..

Due to repairs being made at the Tech soccer field, this year the clinic changed location to the fields at Sedillo Park. For the third year in a row, more than 50 children showed up to roll around in the grass, kick balls at the “Tech student coaches” and hopefully learn some new soccer skills. Smiles were big and laughter was loud, particularly at the close of the session when the kids were free to bombard the coaches with balls. While the kids were playing, AYSO parent volunteers were busily doing the paperwork to get new players signed up.

Both the Socorro AYSO and the NMT Miners officially start their fall seasons this weekend. The kids play at Sedillo Park, while the Miners hit the road to El Paso to take on the University of Texas and New Mexico State in the conference opening mini-tournament.

-NMT-