New Experiences in Rochester with Leila is a mini-series written by Rochester newcomer, Leila Rakhshan. Come along as she and her family learn and experience our community.
Minnesota Rush
Youth Soccer in Rochester is organized through Minnesota Rush, and offers recreational and competitive leagues, as well as skills training camps and classes.
Learn more about their youth programs, serving preschool through U14, as well as their adult leagues on their website.
In the city of Rochester during the spring and fall seasons, the Watson Sports field in the Northwest area of town on Saturday mornings and afternoons is busy with the endless hustle and bustle of families with their children, all wearing soccer t-shirts in various lovely colors.
On these fields, numerous and diverse teams from different neighborhoods of Rochester are competing. As one set of games finishes, new teams take their place every hour. The vibrant colors, the excitement of the players and their families, and even the snack truck make you want to stop and watch the games.
Spring of 2024, ironically very rainy, caused some matches to be held intermittently when the rain was not too heavy. Seeing the parents’ umbrellas around the field and the wet hair of the players during the matches made us feel like we were watching one of the European league games.
Soccer: The Family Project
Minnesota Rush practices along with the weekend games function like a joint project. Parents, children, and sometimes even siblings engage in this project together.
One side of this project consists of the parents who bring their children to the soccer practices, closely monitoring their children’s practices and the coaches’ recommendations. The other side of the project is the participants in these practices, namely the children. Each side of this project strives to fulfill their responsibilities effectively.
Parents play their role by providing resources for the players, registering them, arranging transportation to and from practice, and most importantly, offering constant support and encouragement to the young players.
Young players show enthusiasm, practice diligently, listen to their coaches, and follow their recommendations, striving to perform at their best. It can be said with confidence that this city is home to many strong and promising players; many working towards their future sports goals and careers.
When we take a deeper look at this family project, we see strong and admirable aspects surrounding it, which add to the beauty of these practices, and especially the Saturday games.
The prominent presence of different generations together, including grandparents and other extended family members is an inspiring testament to the vibrancy of life. Grandparents, who sometimes find walking a bit difficult, carry their chairs as they head towards their grandchild’s game. Even on cold and rainy days, their presence is noticeable. This intergenerational connection and the shared excitement and emotions create a great moment for all the families involved.
Amid the noise and cheers of parents, coaches, and players, the sight of siblings is a common one. The excitement, laughter, and running of younger siblings around Watson Field on rainy days, jumping in the mud, and gathering by the snack stands, beautifully and peacefully plays a joyful rhythm of life in today’s busy world.
Teamwork and Life Skills
One of the interesting aspects of soccer practices, clearly observable with each session and even each year compared to the previous one, is the strengthening of the teamwork mindset among the young players. The emphasis on teamwork and the most important principle of soccer– passing the ball to each other– is evident in the matches and the way children participate and collaborate.
One of the most beautiful scenes by Rochester’s young players is the way they make impressive passes to each other during the game and hug each other after scoring goals, each celebrating in their own way. Sometimes, this teamwork is so beautiful and captivating that it becomes the topic of conversation for parents and their children throughout the week. These interactions foster a sense of solidarity and closeness between children and parents, providing them with a shared topic to talk about.
The soccer field is a place where power of empathy among the players increases, especially when someone falls or gets hurt. They show this empathy by talking to and comforting each other. In fact, through these practices and games, the players’ sense of responsibility towards each other and their team is strengthened.
Another noticeable area of growth in young soccer players each season is their improved concentration and quick decision-making abilities. Many young players demonstrate better and stronger focus each season, allowing them to quickly seize opportunities and make effective decisions for passing, defending, or scoring. The skill of enhanced focus and decision-making capability results in a much more beautiful and compelling game.
In players who have consistently participated in Minnesota Rush soccer, this decision-making ability and concentration have strengthened to the point where they not only seize opportunities for themselves but also, shout out opportunities to their teammates as well. Regardless of the game results on Saturdays, the young players demonstrating exciting gameplay through teamwork. Their understanding of the concepts of defense and attack, and most importantly, continuing to pass to one another, create some of the most beautiful soccer matches for their parents to watch. In those moments, perhaps parents, free from the worries of daily life, are envisioning their children playing in the World Cup; imagining them as part of the teams participating in the tournament.
Minnesota Rush
It is important to note that the excitement and experiences enjoyed by the families and players participating in these training and competitions are undoubtedly due to the presence of the Minnesota Rush organization, which has created such a fantastic opportunity for the people of our beautiful city of Rochester and the surrounding counties. The individuals at Rush work with great diligence to provide the best services to the people of Rochester.
Rush’s efforts to gather financial support from various sponsors to make costs more affordable are commendable and deeply appreciated by parents. Additionally, all those who volunteer for these events are truly praiseworthy for their consistent support of the youth players of this city.
One day, our children will look back at these times and remember them as some of the best days of their lives.
I am Leila Rakhshan. I married my husband Fred ten years ago and came to America. I decided to become a mother and focus on raising our children after years of working in public relations for charitable and private organizations, freelancing as a multimedia writer, and teaching at the university level. I mostly endeavored to read, enjoy moments of my children’s growth, and engage in their childhood experiences.
Now that both my daughter and son are attending elementary school, I can begin writing again, much like the years before, and continue learning and sharing my experiences.
