Soccer program gives students the world
I graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1987. I am writing to appeal to (the university) to not just maintain, but to fully support the soccer program at UNM.
I understand a key concern for UNM is budget and the need to streamline in order to ensure the survival and progressive evolution of the institution. It is for UNM’s survivability and ongoing development that I believe the soccer program must continue.
I played soccer for 25 years, from the time I was 7 until the age of 32. I played while in the U.S. Navy and at UNM in an adult league. Soccer is more than simply a game; it is an international language, and it was through soccer that I met and interacted with people from six continents and countless countries. I was surprised to learn of the world through its citizens on the UNM soccer pitch next to Johnson gym. Only on the soccer field did I become aware of those from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the South Pacific and Latin America who either went to UNM or lived in the community. The UNM soccer experience greatly broadened my perspectives and enriched my life.
Soccer is a relatively inexpensive sport. While a UNM student, for three years, I was also a (youth) soccer coach, coaching many of the children from that international community. I was existing on the GI Bill — I am a Vietnam-era veteran — and I paid for the team uniforms and equipment out of my own pocket. Today, commercial sponsorship is a viable solution as the world’s best teams are supported by the corporate world. If a college student on a meager budget could field a team, surely UNM, with the aid of the community, can.
That community also needs to recognize the accomplishments of the UNM soccer program. In addition to bringing the world to UNM, the world has witnessed an excellent program that demands quality on and off the pitch, and is seen as such. Please refer to lobosocceracademy.com for further evidence of UNM’s successful soccer program.
Soccer at UNM enhanced my life and opened my eyes to the world, so much so that in 1988, I moved to Tokyo, Japan, where I have lived, worked and started my own company. I was blessed to have participated in the soccer world at UNM and I ask you to ensure its continuation. The college experience prepares one for the world and UNM’s soccer program elevates that experience for one to be truly international.
GARY VIERHELLER Tokyo, Japan