By Patric Hedlund

Tom Thompson of Frazier Park is serious about soccer. In fact, he reported from the saddle of his tractor as volunteers piled boulders into the shovel, an entire Frazier Park Club Soccer team has become the 2008-09 champions of Kern County’s Adult AYSO Soccer League.

Now the group is working together to build an irrigated soccer field at Frazier Mountain Park, Thompson reported on a recent sunny afternoon. How can this happen, you ask, when the county budget is suffering deep cutbacks?

Thompson made an offer the Kern County Parks and Recreation Department couldn’t refuse. His contracting business, the soccer players, Ground Breakers Construction, Alpine Lumber, Alpine Ready Mix and Santana’s Pumping and Plumbing are donating labor, materials and equipment to construct the playing field, wing walls, goal posts and bleachers.

Now, Thompson says, the public can help create the vision by joining the team for a fundraising dance and celebration at the Frazier Mountain Park Community Center Saturday, May 16 from 5 p.m.—“for a nice way to end a day spent at the Lilac Festival.” All ages are welcome at the dance, $5 per person (or $20 per family of four or more). Authentic Mexican food and beverages will be available to purchase.

“At the dance we will form the adult soccer league,” Thompson explains, calling it “the Mexican Hat Dance, where eight teams will be picked randomly out of a hat by the eight team captains.” It will cost $25 to join the league for the year, if registration occurs the night of the dance, and $35 to register later.

“Last year when we started to build a soccer field, we had 35 players out there every Thursday night. We had 75 people watching and bringing food for unbelievable picnics and a beautiful community event each week,” Thompson recalls.

“Then on June 15 we kick off our summer soccer camp with U-12, U-14 and U-19 teams which will play through August. “Coach Tom” Thompson can be reached at 245-1245.

This is part of the May 15, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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