S1: Welcome in San Diego , it's Jade Hyndman. Sports are for everyone , no matter what your ability is. So today we're going to tell you about a couple of inclusive programs right here in town. This is KPBS Midday Edition connecting our communities through conversation. Here in San Diego , we know a thing or two about skateboarding. Skate legends like Tony Hawk , Willie Santos , and Patty McGee grew up right here. Plus , a new generation of San Diego skaters just made their Olympics debut in Paris. But did you know that San Diego State University has a whole research center for skateboarding , action , sports and social change ? Well , they do , and they're now partnering with Tony Hawk's nonprofit , The Skate Park Project , bringing skating to low income communities. Joining me now to talk about it is Neftali Williams. He's the director for San Diego State University's Center for skateboarding , action , Sports and Social Change. Also assistant professor of sociology at Sdsu. Professor , welcome back to Midday Edition.
S2: Thank you very much. Honored to be here again.
S1: You hold a doctorate in this stuff ? Yes , yes. What is it specifically ? Because what ? I'm sure there are a lot of people who might be interested in in pursuing something like. Like your career.
S2: Oh , thank you for asking. So my , my degree in particular is in sociology of sport. And that's really understanding the nuances of what , for me , skateboarding means to the culture , how the culture itself is skateboarding. It has evolved.
S1: Well , you know , congrats on this exciting initiative.
S2: They're just really the leaders in the field. And so one of the things that it does for us is it it adds another level of of connection and legitimacy to the work that we're doing. And we were already doing research work and sort of partnering with them on small things. But now to be an official partner where we're we're working towards all kinds of new research together. One of the first things that we'd done before was thinking and finding out how skate parks brought kids together from all kinds of diverse communities. Now , previously , of course , the skate park project has been doing the work for 20 years , and they had lots of , you know , personal anecdotes about how skateboarding was helping people , you know , build community and work towards the future. But what we added to them is the research element to actually go like , here's the qualitative and quantitative results. The actual evidence to show this is what skateboarding does. And so this partnership just really deepens that and allows them to have more ammunition to getting skate spots in skate parks built , and actually to help all of us who are skaters like myself , to see that skateboarding and action sports belong in academia , because not every kid is going to want to be a pro skater or have the ability to be a pro skater. But now they can think about how they can contribute to skateboarding culture through their work at the university , their design , engineering , all those things that we do well as a university. Now we're creating that that entryway for young skaters to see themselves in multiple lanes , not just pursuing a pro career. Wow.
S1: Wow. Well , I got it. We got to dig into what skateboarding does for a community.
S2: yes yes. Then yes , I met Tony and and I'm actually on the board now for uh , for TSP , which is the skatepark project. And so I worked work with him. I see him , you know , pretty regularly. Um , but I will tell everyone that I am still always in awe every time I see him. So he'll hear this and he'll laugh. But it is the case , um , even when we're in Paris for the Olympics , he was there in the Olympics , and we caught up quickly with him and his wife and kids , and , um. But it is still , you know , I pinch myself all the time to go. I can't believe I've done the work to be in the same space as , you know , our greatest spokesperson. It's , uh , it's a thrill every single time.
S1: That's awesome. Well , one thing that is so powerful about skateboarding is its ability to bring people together , regardless of socioeconomic status.
S2: So the way , you know , listeners might be thinking is , oh , does that mean more skate parks ? That is great , of course , but we're focused on thinking through how do we make San Diego be a better , more sustainable , more community with more social cohesion ? And the way that we look at that is thinking , hmm. Why don't we do smaller things like which we're going to pilot Sdsu , like skate spots and scalable sculptures ? Now , the way to think about that , I'm sure your listeners are scalable sculptures , right ? Is that right ? What does that mean ? What we want to do is think about ways in which we know that skateboarding at the skate park brings intergenerational learning from age 8 to 80. Everybody can be using the space and learning how to share , share the space , learn how to interact with each other. First of all , that's what we want to happen everywhere , right ? So why is that magic only happening at the skate park ? How do we take these things that are happening there and put them out for the general populace. So one of the ways there is to design art and architecture that is scalable but also can be multi-use and multifunction , right ? It can serve as a bench. It can serve as a play area for for kids who aren't skating. It can serve as art for those who are just being observers. So when we create things like that , then everyone is learning how to share the space together to go like , oh , I thought this was I thought this was , let's say , like a pyramid. I thought this was a piece of art , but it can be scalable. First of all , as a city , we have we have limited resources , right ? So we can't always just design giant , you know , giant playgrounds for everyone , for every sport , for basketball , for football. We just don't have it. So the best way to think about sustainably is how do we get people to do more together and to understand each other in that space ? And what I mean by that is if everyone is within , let's say , you know , a size , the space of just a few rooms , right ? But if everyone is there and some people are watching people skate. Some are just observing the art. Well , what happens is there's greater understanding between each other because now you know , I'm sure you have lots of listeners who are going to say , you know , like , oh , I almost got hit by a skateboarder or like , I don't like skateboarding there like this. One of the main things is they're saying they are like this. And that's how we label the other. And what we need is more spaces for people to go , like , actually understand exactly what's happening. I see that they're here. They're sharing the space together. They're sharing the space with me. And again , that 8 to 80 that can be using that space or learning to enjoy that space together , that creates a greater understanding. Right. This is that's sort of the key thing. The skate park lets it happen when they're skating. But now people can also who are non skaters go , oh this is a beautiful space. This is a beautiful art. But it's serving multifunction and they feel more connected. Sure.
S1: Sure. Okay so you mentioned pyramid but yeah like Describe for me what this scalable art might look like. Give me an example. Paint the picture for me.
S2: Oh , it's so funny. So I just got back from a conference that was in Bordeaux. This movement is happening all over the world. People are literally just working with artists. Some I've seen , some that are the shape of like interconnected hands together to , to , to do a actual handshake so that people are looking at the sculpture that says we should be together and then they can enjoy in multiple facets in multiple ways. So that's just one one example. But for any of the artists that are listening to this piece later , where we are looking for artists who want to work with , with , um , in , in , um , metal or concrete or other sustainable materials. So those are the things that are the future. And doing it at Sdsu means we have the students who are building the future right now. And so it also allows those students to go , oh , I like to skate , but I'm not trying to be a pro skater. But I would love to design art or get an architecture and design to think about something that could be beautiful but also serve multiple functions. I want you to be able to sit on it. I want you to be able to skate it. I want you to see things as , you know , as an object of art that everyone can appreciate , and that really will build a better community where more people see each other and understand , like , oh , this does multiple things. That's what the community should be engaging multiple people.
S1:
S2: There's a project called Culture Shifters that's led by Zeb Powell , who is absolutely amazing African American snowboarder who is just , you know , setting the world on fire. He just did a new deal with Jordan the other day. And Selima Masekela , who is VP for culture for for the X-Games. So Culture Shifters is there to help get more underrepresented communities on the mountains and to understand that , wow. Everybody should be out enjoying snowboarding , enjoying the outdoors , and everyone has. Should have a path towards that. So we're working with them. We're working in surfing. As well. So there's so many good projects that are on the way.
S1: All right. Well you study the social dynamics at play within skate culture.
S2: It allows us to now have that first entry point for every every diverse community , every , um , particular background can now have a reason to engage with each other. So if we're asking like , hey , can you solve , solve , um , you know , and connect disparate communities , the answer is yes , because that is every space. Getting the ability to love skateboarding , learn to skate together. And it doesn't matter if you have a lot of money , a little money , or wherever you are that you have one shared love. And so that's what skateboarding provides that opportunity. Now what I will say is , is our job as researchers and as adults and as community community leaders to foster this space where young people can recognize the humanity in each other. And so we need to build more opportunities for that , and not just for the young people to do it , but for us to also , as adults go , hmm , they're doing something special here. Maybe we need to foster some more , foster some more social change and a little bit more connectivity outside of skateboarding. So I look at this as just the sort of , sort of the pilot project , right ? We take care of the youth , but really we're just taking care of ourselves. We want them to be the best versions of us , so we should have less ways in which we feel disconnected. We should be working at every instance to build more connections.
S1: You know , I'm curious how the current political environment is affecting your work , both at the center for skateboarding and as a professor of sociology.
S2: I mean , I would say that right now my focus has always been the same thing. Skaters are marginalized at all points , right ? We look at football. We look at I mean , football. It's great. At Sdsu , we have basketball. All of these young people do not have the opportunity to be seen in the same light as other students. And so right now , it's a it's a really interesting time to be able to think about who isn't seen and why are people , why are they not being seen. And if that's happening to the general populace , how can we take what we're doing in skateboarding and make that a way to for everyone to be seen ? Because the truth is , skaters have so many different backgrounds. My job is to make sure that they are seen , respected and have a place at the table. And so naturally , all of their other identities that they bring come to the table as well. And I think that that is really great. I mean , just in particular , there's such a rich history of diverse skaters over time. However , a lot of folks don't know that. And my research in particular , the new book that the new book that is coming out called The Skate , The Skateboard Life , that really highlights the fact that there are so many skaters with so much history in the United States. But that's why skateboarding is global , is because everyone Asian American , LGBTQ skaters , women , everyone has a history within skateboarding , and we need more things and more activities where we embrace those unique histories so that everyone can feel connected.
S1: You just dropped something I didn't know about a book.
S2: So I have a new book that that will be coming out. You know , I'll have to ask the publisher , but I believe our I believe our , um , drop date is September 30th , and that's called the Skateboard Life. And then particular. It talks about generations of skateboarding and skateboarders who have been the movers and shakers , the people behind the scenes who've made skateboarding be this , like , rich tapestry , this rich history that it has And it really is something where you'll look at and go. There's somebody here who looks like me , who has a history or experience that's like me , and that is what we don't have enough of. It also really makes me think , like that's the difference between skateboarding and other sports is the fact that in skateboarding , everyone has been building this history and this , um , this culture together. And so from day one song , right , with Asian American skaters , Marty Grimes , our first African American pro skater , Stephanie Pearson , first African American woman pro skater. Like the list just goes on and on. And that is special and unique because no one can tell you that you are not a skateboarder. It's the thing that you decide yourself. If you feel it and you're putting the effort in , well , then you are it. And in a world where people are constantly saying , don't do this or you can't do that , or we're not acknowledging who you are or what's going on now , you acknowledge yourself as being a skateboarder , and that is enough for me.
S1: That's it. Well , I mean , you've got the book. I mean , you're a very busy person here. And last summer , you were the first ambassador of skateboarding and envoy for the U.S. Department of State at the Paris Olympics.
S2: And , you know , I know there are skaters who originally were , like , very nervous about it. And they're saying like , oh , well , now it's going to make it more corporate. Or sort of the term that's used in academic circles is Spotify , right ? We've turned it into this , this , this other thing. But what I knew then , and I still know now , is that skaters are not going to stop being themselves. They bring all of their histories to to the stage. And some skaters use it. They were just skateboarding the best that they could , but some used it also as a , as a side of , of protest or activism. And it will continue to be a space where skaters are using the platform to be the best that they can be. And one of the ways that I think that it was really , really powerful for those who were afraid , like , oh , maybe is losing , as they like to say , it's losing its edge , but it's not losing its edge. It was watching the young skaters take all of their medals and their photos together , and what it was doing was actually teaching the Olympics and other sports how they could be more connected. When you see skaters are clapping for people from from Japan , right ? Japan was Japan was crushing at the Olympics. The U.S. crested at the Olympics. Brazil was crushed at the Olympics. That's a genuine love for each other and celebrating everything new and unique that goes on. And I'm sure you know , when you watch , you know , unfortunately , sometimes when you're watching other sports , there's the pressure from the nation to be the best. And if you don't perform , you know , your nation is upset with you , or there's just so many things that there's other pressures that keep it from just being a great time. And what happens in skateboarding is still while the Olympic stage. It is still skaters getting together , enjoying and reveling in the fact that like , hey , we are here , but we loved you yesterday , I'm going to love you tomorrow and they're going to still skate together. And that's something that we want all our children to understand , to like be the best you can be , but also still have a love for the other people that are participating in. There's just so much for us to learn from skateboarding on so many different levels. Yeah.
S1: Yeah.
S2: And again , when I say kids , that's all ages. For everyone to be active , I say 8 to 80. That's one of the things that is happening , is everyone from every age group is now participating and seeing that , oh , it isn't just for kids , it's actually for me. So I'm excited for more people to see that , and for more people to understand that their kids can see the university as a place for them , and that their skateboarding identity is something that will help them get into architecture , design , entrepreneurship , or to just be the community leaders that they might want to be. So there's a lot to look forward to.
S1: I've been speaking with Neftali Williams. He's an assistant professor of sociology at Sdsu and director of the center for skateboarding , action , Sports and Social Change. Professor Williams , thank you.
S2: Thank you so much.
S1: Coming up next on Midday Edition , how one local organization is offering walking , soccer and making the sport accessible to all.
S3: Provide programs for everybody you know , regardless of your age or who you are or your mobility issues. We believe that there's there's a pathway for somebody , for everybody.
S1: That's next on KPBS Midday Edition. Welcome back to KPBS midday Edition I'm Jade Hindman. Sports are great for our physical health , but as we age in battle , injuries , accessing what once came easy can sometimes be a challenge. Well , one local organization is looking to open up soccer for people with a wide range of physical abilities , and particularly middle aged and senior women. Last week , KPBS Metro reporter Andrew Bowen talked with the co-founders of the organization Kicks and Giggles , Basma Sheba and Chelsea Scholes. Here's that conversation.
S4: First of all , how did you all get into soccer ? What drew you to this sport ? I'll start with you.
S5: Well , I played when I was in high school years ago , and I wouldn't say I was the best player , but I always liked it playing in a social aspect. And when I met Chelsea , she played more in a competitive high level and she played on her team and she kicked me off her team knowing , seeing how well I was.
S4: Wait , wait , wait , she kicked you off the team ? Explain what happened.
S5: Um , she told me to come sub for her because she had to go coach , uh , the club she was at , and , uh , so I was I subbed in for her , and she showed up at half time , and she saw how I was doing and called the ref sub and pulled me right out. Okay.
S4: Okay.
S3: It's in our blood. Soccer. So what ? We call it football over there. So. Yeah. So I grew up from such a young age when watching it with my grandparents. And it just went from there. And , and then I just always had a ball stuck to my foot. Um , so. Yeah. And then here I am. I came out here 2024 to coach the soccer. And yeah , I'll never look back.
S4: And I have to ask about the name of this organization. Kicks and giggles.
S5:
S3: And we was trying to come up with names. And it was we knew we wanted it to be fun because that's what who we're about , you know , we want to be educational and it'd be fun. So we was coming up with names like , laughing , um , sharpshooters. I think it was another name who came up and then giggles and like , it's got to be something with giggles. And literally , as we're saying , that the dog that we're looking after starts to do is goes to party and does a big dome. So we're like , oh my God , the famous phrase with the famous phrase. So we put them and we're like kicks and giggles and it just stuck from there.
S4: And so what is the goal of this organization ? And tell me about the kinds of programs that you offer. Yeah.
S3: Yeah. Well , we just want to be available. We think that soccer is for everybody , and we really want to focus on that and provide programs for everybody. And , you know , regardless of your age or , um , who you are or your mobility issues , we believe that there's there's a pathway for somebody , for everybody.
S5: Our focus was to really make it fun. We want to make sure people are having fun playing soccer. Chelsea used to coach at different clubs and that's something she noticed that was removed from the sport. Mhm.
S3: Yeah the fun was just taken out of it. Like I felt like children wasn't able to express themselves because they was too scared to make a mistake because in the , you know , you were just hearing the coaches screaming at them when especially at the high level you get. And I just didn't like that. And I think I found myself becoming that person and , and I and I put it into it. And that's when we came up with the idea of creating kicks and giggles to make sure that that wouldn't happen. So our programs , we encourage people to make mistakes. So then , you know , they can develop their own individual personalities and grow as a player. And it is okay to make mistakes.
S5: We're human and we tease everybody as a in a fun way on the field. Yeah , and they like it. They tease right back and they take it. Um , so it's a good community environment. Yeah.
S4: Yeah. And you've got programs for different ability levels. And one of them is walking soccer. This is something that's new to me. So tell me about walking soccer and how you play it.
S3: All right. Well , the idea of walking soccer is really to provide a slower version of the modern game that you see played today. Um , so it can accommodate for people who , you know , they might have maybe just trying out the sport for the first time , or maybe they have , um , an injury that they're coming out of and they want to get back into playing again. Or , um , maybe they they're , they have mobility issues as well. So them this or they just want to just come out and just enjoy the game , you know , in a much more relaxed social environment. So , uh , that is basically what , um , walking soccer is.
S4: And if you break into a run , is that against the rules ? Exactly.
S3: Yes.
S5: That is one of the biggest rules.
S3: The biggest rule is obviously it's walking soccer so you cannot run. And what determines what's the run and what's not. I mean , we all saw the Olympics , right ? Uh , speed walking. Right.
S4: And , Chelsea , tell us about some of the other programs and why it's important to offer soccer that's inclusive of women of all ages.
S3: Yeah , we have several programs on. And I think it's it's important just for people to just come and learn and have just such a great side.
S5: We're never there , coach at the games. We're more of the training program for them to get ready for their game or their or tournament or whatever it is that they're trying to get prepared for. Our walking soccer program is co-ed , so we have a lot of husbands and wives that come together or a father daughter. Some people bring their moms or their grandma with them , so it becomes more of a. Also of a family community. And no one's left behind.
S4: And you also have offerings for kids and teenagers. It's not just for older people. Tell me about those. Yeah.
S3: Yeah. The youngest client we actually have , I think is two years old. And the oldest. Are you ready for this ? The oldest is 83 years old , and we have two of them , I think , right to 2 or 83 years old and one that's 80. And , you know , so it's a big it's a big difference , right ? It is.
S4:
S3: This is a great place to come and just enjoy and let your hair down. There's no , um , stresses with it. Right. And everything's educational. Like they want to learn. They come. It's weekly. They don't have to commit to things , you know ? So we understand life happens. Or , you know , maybe you just want to come once a month and that's fine. I think other companies , they might have maybe a contract to buy into. Essentially , we want to be known as the Costco of soccer. We want to be cheap , affordable , but it's great quality.
S4: And Basma , what would you say the current soccer scene is like in San Diego ? Obviously we have an MLS team now. We have a women's soccer team that's very famous.
S5: Actually. Some of our players , we've met them at the games that they've never played. They just know the rules of it. And we'll sit with them and we'll say , well , why don't you , why don't you play ? And they're like , well , we've never played. We're in our 50s , 60s and we've never touched the ball and that's how we've encouraged them to come. Try it , try it for free if you want. See see if you like it. And then now when they go to the games , they understand it a little better. Um , so I think that's the other part of learning the sport. It's not just playing , but also learning. Why ? Why the professionals are playing the way they play.
S4: Chelsea , any thoughts on the the culture of soccer in San Diego , how it's evolving.
S3: I think it's evolved. I've been , I think , in this country now for 14 years , and when it's it's like night and day now , how much it's involved , it's great to see. You know , you got young girls on the , on the field playing. You've got we saw at the park the other day by the Snapdragon Stadium , and you've got the little babies running around with the soccer ball. Um , and I think it's just amazing how we , you know , we've not only got the Women's Wave team , we've also now got an MLS team. So it's just it's just great to see the progress that especially San Diego has , I think has come a long way. So and it's great and it's really good to see. And I think it's only going to get better and better.
S4: One of you mentioned you wanted to keep this program affordable. You might need staff. You might need insurance. What do you charge for your programs and how do you try and keep it accessible for folks.
S5: For all the adults , we charge 15 bucks per class. And the kids , it's $20 per class. But we tell everybody , if you can't afford it , don't make that the reason why you're not coming to our classes. Tell us we'll come up with a plan. Whether you're free or you pay every other class. If you if you bring a friend , you'll be free. And we provide siblings discount. So it all varies from case to case for each family. We never let any player tells us , hey , I can't come because you can't afford it. I'm like , well , just come.
S4: And sport is not just about physical activity and exercise , it's about building community.
S3: They were shy. They didn't want to come. And I just think it's almost been almost a year now. Right. And and it's just been nice to just to see , like you said , we have a mother , a husband or wife , a mother , uh , like just families just come out and just come enjoy it. And , you know , not only that they've made it such a social event as well , where afterwards we go for 90 minutes and you'd think they'd be fed up of us , but we don't miss it. We take off our shoes , we do a bit of earthing , grounding and yeah , we just make it a day , just chat for 30 minutes or so afterwards as , as a group. And , and I think that speaks volumes at all. It's not forced upon them. They actually genuinely want to be there.
S5: In fact , when we had to , we took some time off for ourselves a week to take our own time vacation , and they sent us a photo that they still got together and played. That's how much we've built , like this community , this family that they still want to get together and play together and be social. Because that's something we found with the seniors , is they're quite lonely when they're retired and they're at home and they have nothing to do. So they look forward to our Sundays. Yes.
S4:
S3: They've got children together. And then I think they went their separate ways. And then , uh , it was the wife who joined our women's class. Right. And then he heard about it , and then he heard the the the husband heard about the program , even though they wasn't together anymore. And they came back. So anyway , they've been planning the co-ed walking soccer together. And then we should just could just see the romance was blossoming again. And oh , it was such an amazing thing to see. And even though they haven't admitted it yet , I really think that something has been rekindled there and it is just beautiful to see.
S4: Oh , that's so nice. And how have you both strengthened your own connection to the soccer community through your organization ? Kicks and giggles.
S3: I think we've just learned more , uh , more in depth about it's not just a sport , it's more of a it's a family. It's , uh , it's like I say , it's it's not just an organization. I think just getting to know people on a more personal understanding. Um , is one thing that I think I've seen.
S5: We have a group chat that we're all in it together. If we see something funny , we will send a photo. Or somebody saw one of our kicks and Google signs at Costco and they're like , oh , look , I saw your sign. And then they sent us a photo of it. Um , so we we kind of keep it where we're not just the company that is going to take your money and just do the classes. We genuinely we do care about you guys and all our all all our customers. And we check on we check on them and they they do the same right back with us. We , me and Chelsea were here in San Diego on our own. We don't really have any family , so we like that. We've built this family and , uh , we did last December , we did a get together at the Bay , uh , picnic , a potluck picnic.
S3: We didn't think we'd have anyone turn up. We just started the walking soccer program. Right. We've not long been there.
S5: And all all these people showed up with lots of stuff that they've cooked homemade meals , and it's something that me and her have missed a lot. And until today , they're asking , when can we do this next potluck at the Bay ? And we just put a couple of goals up and they played. They brought their kids , their families , whoever they wanted , and everybody kind of just clicked around and ate. And it was only supposed to be for three hours. We ended up staying in bonfires.
S3: And the bonfire into the sunset. It was it was super nice and it blew me away because I just didn't expect to either. And it was I just it just felt. It felt nice. Yeah.
S4:
S5: It's the field space. There's not enough land or grass space. Um , yeah. For everybody to use.
S3: That has been the most frustrating thing because , you know , we , we , we see that there's grass available. And for example , I work at a school in , uh , in , um , la mesa and we go to use their grass. I put on a free class , I think , for the people at school , and then we was asked the following week that we couldn't come back because it was rented. Even though the field was open , though , no one was actually using that space. But because someone , another soccer organization had closed it out , we couldn't be able to go. So we had to keep moving fields and fields and you know , and that's it's frustrating for families , right ? You know , they've got children and some some have got are in multiple sports. So I think that for me is what's been a bit frustrating. We've got a lot of land. Why can't we use it. And all I'm all about sharing. Sharing is caring and just being in community and working together. Not this is mine , you can't use it.
S4:
S3: We we we like everyone to try all the programs for free because we believe that it's a good program. And if it's a good fit for you and you enjoy it , you'll come back. If you don't , then you know , that's fine. You go and find something. You know what's more suitable for you ? Yeah.
S5: And then when they want to join , they they'll either message , they'll email us , or they'll call us or send us a message on Instagram and they'll ask us about our program , and then we'll tell them where they can sign up is on our website , um , at just so they can fill up the waiver a little , uh , information about themselves. And we currently we've been playing at , uh , Sdsu mission Valley River Park , um , that there's a lot of fields over there. And it seems that everybody there is quite friendly to share the space.
S3: Parking is a bit of a nightmare.
S5: Parking is a. Nightmare.
S3: Nightmare.
S4:
S3: It's quiet. Why can't we share that ? Yeah.
S4:
S5: We do know that a lot of people have not heard of us and they will tell us , wow , I didn't know that this was existing 2 or 3 months ago. Though. Um , so I do think it will grow organically the way it did in Europe. Um , in England , there's thousands of teams that they have a national team over there. So as people hear about it , they'll grow because I think we have people from Seattle who have heard of us , and they've come flew down many , many times to come play with. Us.
S3: Us.
S5: Australia from Australia. Somebody came because they have walking soccer there , so they simply just Google walking soccer to the destination that they're visiting and they found us.
S3: Well I would love in the future. The end goal is just to have my own little , uh , kicks and giggles have the own facility. I'd love it to be grass in an ideal world. And , you know , just provide a program for everybody. Like and like we have a friend who , you know , she she used to be a nurse and she lost her limbs. And it's really hard. It hurts my heart to see that there's she wants to do things , but there's nothing for her. So me and her are just pecking our heads on. How can we make something for her ? And then one of the ideas was , you know , like the ping pong machines back in the day , but having one of them when you where she hits one down , it extends the leg so she could still play. Um. And then another one followed. You know , maybe people who were on the spectrum , too. So I think just having a facility and an organization and programs for everybody would be a perfect , because it's going to be fun. And they're going to learn. And I think the community would be amazing.
S1: That was Basma , Toshiba and Chelsea Scholes speaking with KPBS Metro reporter Andrew Bowen. They are co-founders of Kicks and Giggles soccer program in San Diego. That's our show for today. I'm your host , Jade Hyndman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose , everyone.
