Scout collects soccer equipment for children in Mexico

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A Rosemount 16-year-old wishes to spread happiness to children in Mexico through sharing his own passion of soccer. When Jeremy Hoffmann visits Juarez, Mexico July 15 for a St. Joseph’s church mission trip, he will give soccer balls and gear he collected in Rosemount to children of the Juarez community.

Hoffmann attends St. Joseph’s church regularly. When he is not spending time with his church, the home-schooled sophomore plays for Rosemount High School’s soccer team. His passion for soccer started in first grade, when he began playing with a team.

“Every year the church leaves to help those in need,” Hoffmann said.

Anyone above ninth grade is welcome to go on the trips. Hoffmann is especially excited for this year’s mission trip because this is the first year he can go with the church.

He looks forward to spending time with the other 30-some students traveling with the church for one week.

Soccer is not the only activity that occupies the 16-year-old’s time. Hoffmann is also actively involved in Boy Scouts. A leadership project required for Hoffmann to achieve his Eagle Scout rank inspired him to help children in Mexico. Combining his passions of soccer and helping others, Hoffmann plans to gather new or used soccer balls and gear for children who would enjoy the equipment in Juarez, Mexico.

“It will be neat to see the looks on their faces when they get the stuff,” Hoffmann explained. His passion will help the local kids club of the Juarez community.

Children up to age 12 will receive the soccer equipment when the church’s mission volunteers arrive in the city. Hoffmann hopes the children will enjoy the equipment like he does when he plays soccer.

Earlier in the year, Hoffmann listened to a Venezuelan speaker talk about the children of communities in Mexico. He learned children in Mexico share his passion for soccer. This sparked the idea for his leadership project.

“I thought it would be a cool idea to donate soccer gear,” Hoffmann said. He was especially glad his church’s mission group was planning to travel to Mexico.

“It makes it even easier and better to get pictures there,” Hoffmann said.

His plan fell into place. Hoffmann could attend the mission trip for the first time, successfully completing his leadership project and sharing his passion for soccer with others.

Hoffmann started writing down his plan for the project in a workbook last January.

Plans for the project’s benefits of giving to the community are included in the workbook.

Hoffmann expressed the importance of including descriptive details so others could carry out the plan in case he is unable to for any reason. His commitment to the project would continue even if his church was not traveling to Mexico.

“I would try to go anyway, even if my church was not going,” Hoffmann said.

Each year St. Joseph’s church donates time to communities in need, constructing sheds, improving parks and helping in anyway they can. Church attendants meet regularly to plan the events.

Hoffmann hopes to gather at least 50 soccer balls and assortments of gear before he leaves for the trip. Two weeks ago, he started gathering gear through his soccer team and mission volunteers and now has five pieces of soccer equipment.

“We will probably have to ship the soccer gear to Mexico because of the amount,” Hoffmann said. With high hopes and passion for his project, Hoffmann is excited for his first mission trip July 5-July 12.

Tags: community, eagle, scout, soccer, equipment