Off the Field and into the Community: Newman’s Soccer Teams Make an Impact
Even while juggling school and sports, Newman’s student-athletes find time to make a positive impact on the Wichita community — specifically, members of both the men and women’s soccer teams.
In November, Johan Guereca-Torres and Jesus Perez of Newman’s men’s soccer team spoke to middle schoolers at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School during their Scholastic Book Fair. The school is located in a lower-income area and serves a 97% Hispanic student population.
The event serves the dual purpose of motivating students to buy books to foster their love of reading, while also supporting the St. Margaret Mary school library.
The Newman duo spoke about how reading, hard work and scholarships can ultimately help young learners achieve their dreams.
Guereca-Torres jumped at the opportunity to talk with local middle school students.
“I actually went to St. Margaret Mary’s for church for two years,” Guereca-Torres said. “I’ve spoken to people in the past and this was another good opportunity to give back to the community even for 30 minutes of my day.”
Perez, a first-generation college student from Edinburg, Texas, is a business finance major. The volunteer opportunity resonated with him because he knows what it’s like to grow up in a lower-income area and the struggles that come with learning English as a second language.
“Some kids grow up without financial stability and I’ve been through that. They just reminded me of myself. Seeing someone from my same race who is accomplishing things made me motivated to work hard, and it’s nice to talk to the kids in that same way.”
Both said that if they were given the chance to visit with students in the future, they would do it “over and over again.”
While men’s soccer helped in the classroom, women’s soccer volunteered at a Wichita food pantry during their offseason.
Morgan Houston graduated in December 2022 and is one of the many soccer players who have volunteered for this service project.
Helping out at Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry, located at Rolling Hills Church of God, was impactful for Houston.
“I have learned that not everyone is privileged enough to have everything they need to live. But this service project has opened my eyes to the number of people who want to help those in need. It’s moving to see how many people are willing to help,” said Houston.
Working hard off the field while meeting members of the community allows the teammates to connect on a deeper level. Makenzie Shay, a sophomore majoring in nursing, channeled her competitiveness into her volunteer work and service to others.
“We obviously work well as a team, and we were driven to complete as much work as possible. The experience didn’t just give me quality time with my teammates but also gave us satisfaction and appreciation for life,” said Shay.
“To me, volunteering means giving back. As humans, we are responsible for the care of one another. Each of us deserves help, kindness and generosity. The soccer team gives back little by little. I think I can speak for all of us by saying that helping even one person would make our volunteering efforts worth it.”