From weedy lots to lush fields, west Modesto soccer league celebrates new complex

The sturdy thwack of a well-struck ball provided much of the soundtrack to the dedication of a years-long community effort to bring soccer fields to west Modesto.

What began as vacant, weed-filled parkland has been transformed into two new, lush soccer fields. The project is the first phase of the new Stanislaus Youth Soccer League Soccer Complex at Bellenita Park. While the league has been operating for about 20 years, it has never had home fields to call their own until now.

Organizers, coaches, players and parents gathered at the complex Saturday morning to celebrate the opening of the fields along the Tuolumne River, south of Robertson Road. The league has been using the complex since April for its 11-and-under teams to play.

The SYSL has more than 100 teams and 1,500 young players, who range in age from 6 and under to up to 16 years old. On weekends the fields can see more than 500 children, largely from families in west and south Modesto, come through to play.

The project to turn the parkland, owned in parts by the county and city, into playable fields began in earnest about four years ago. That's when the Tuolumne River Regional Park commission agreed to work with the league to build the fields.

League president Tony Martinez, who founded the group with Teresa Inocencio, said since then more than 200 community volunteers have pitched in to help construct the fields and adjoining parking lot. The project broke ground in July 2016 with a large cleanup effort. The league has raised about $150,000 in cash donations and about the same amount in donated goods and services for the complex.

"I think this shows the community cares about the youth and soccer program here," Martinez said. "If it wasn't for the help of the community we would never have gotten this done."

The community involvement also helped the city secure a $1 million grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation to build three additional fields to the east of the existing fields. Former Modesto Councilman Brad Hawn has worked closely with the league to get the complex off the ground and attended the dedication ceremony.

"It is just a joy to bring the people and the government together on this project," he said. "That's the way it should be."

Hawn said he expects construction on the new fields to begin later this fall and they should be ready for play sometime next year. The new fields will be used for the league's 12-and-up teams, who currently travel to other fields in the region to play.

For parents like Hilda Trejo, whose 13-year-old son Ulysses has played in the league since he was 5, that is welcome news.

"They'll have a place to play that's like home," she said. "It can be difficult to get to all the different fields."

Coach Luis Davalos, who coaches the Cachorros de Leon teams with his wife Rosa Lopez, said the league and complex are already having a positive impact on area youth.

"This is really important for these kids. We take them out of the streets and away from the videogames," he said. "This is just a good opportunity for kids to get out and play sports. This can change their lives."

This story was originally published June 16, 2018 at 3:04 PM with the headline "From weedy lots to lush fields, west Modesto soccer league celebrates new complex."