Flexibility. No pressure. Fun.
These are all values Audubon Park resident Dan Schuchman wanted to promote when he decided to organize soccer opportunities for Northeast community kids at Cavell Park, 3435 Fillmore St. NE. Every Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6 p.m., soccer enthusiasts convene at the park’s fields and can participate in exercises and pick-up games at any skill level.
For Schuchman, the goals for the club are very intentional: to build relationships through the commonality of sport. “Community is the first goal of this program, and soccer is the second piece,” he said. “I think [it] has been really cool to see connections being made.”
Before the pandemic, Schuchman had concerns about how community interaction seemed stunted, given modern technology’s rise. He said he was “feeling like we’re not connected as neighbors in the way we used to be, or previous generations would have been because of so many different demands on attention through the internet, or even the way we purchase things.”
The idea for the club spawned in 2021 when he realized there was no middle ground between fall and spring soccer leagues and the rigor of traveling soccer teams. Schuchman and other Northeast parents wanted kids to have the opportunity to attend skills practices and participate in pick-up games without leaning on a rigid practice and game schedule.
Ten-year old Samir Meyer has played with the club for two years. “It allows a bunch of younger kids to play and you don’t have to have a certificate or pay anything. You can just show up and play.”
Schuchman said, “I [wanted to] create more opportunities locally in the neighborhood, so kids could get similar amounts of hours a week that they might get at a club play, but you don’t have to be at every one [practice] every week.”
“I feel like there’s no more pressure on you if you miss it [practice], or if you qualify for something or not,” said Felix Cano, who’s attended for a year and a half. “It’s just chill.”
Practices begin with some coaching, helping kids hone in on techniques through repetition and continuous play. But what comes next is a unique draw to the club. As the pick-up game begins, parents can jump in and play alongside their kids.
The flexibility, no club cost, and ability to join from anywhere in the metro area promotes inclusivity — another goal of the club. Additionally, Schuchman is actively working to collect soccer gear members could access if needed. “Having it be open [to the metro area] helps serve across all socioeconomic backgrounds versus being a barrier to some of the park programs.”
From the beginning, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation has provided goals, equipment, and registration opportunities on their website for kids to take advantage of the club. “That’s been really cool to see just the way the community has stepped up,” he said. Registration can also occur during a happenstance moment as well, with some current members discovering the club walking past the field.
The group has had so much success, Schuchman wanted to add a winter session. But there was a barrier — the need for an indoor space and equipment which would inevitably come with a price tag. At that point he decided to create a non-profit. The group was rebranded as the Northeast Football Club (NEFC) with a mission to build community, meet new friends, and play soccer.
Members of the Edison High School soccer team were recently added as student coaches, enabling more individualized attention to attendees. In addition to that, NEFC was awarded a $1,000 grant in 2023 from the Waite Park Community Council. Some of the funding has helped pay for club jerseys for kids who attend the program.
The club has expanded with Thursday night skills practice and pick-up games for anyone, with a Tuesday night practice completely dedicated to girls. To help bolster the community feel, the club mixes fun activities into the schedule that include a past outdoor screening of a World Cup game, attending a University of Minnesota soccer game, annual clinics with the Edison Girls Soccer team, and a wear-your-costume pick-up game last October to celebrate Halloween. Schuchman hopes to eventually enter interested participants into club tournaments.
The current sessions run through October. Registration happens in several ways: on the Minneapolis Parks and Rec website at www.minneapolisparks.org/, showing up on a practice night, or connecting on Instagram using the handle: @ne.fc
Samir Meyer practices shots on goal before the pick-up game. (Marla Khan-Schwartz)
Dan Schuchman leading skills practice. (Marla Khan-Schwartz)
