Getting a Kick Out of Live Well

HHSA North Coastal Family Resource Center employees have been playing soccer together and were their division's regular season champions. Front row (l to r): Alejandra Mejia-Rios, Rosa Torres, Veronica Chicas, Kristina Hernandez, Robert Hood. Back row: Eduardo Hernandez, Robin Dunbar, Jose Aguero, Noe Quiroz.

A group of co-workers from HHSA’s North Coastal Family Resource Center leaves behind the eligibility forms, phone calls and cubicles and take to the field every Sunday during the City of San Marcos’ co-ed indoor soccer season.

They do it for stress relief, to share a few laughs and to bond with co-workers. But it’s more than just fun and games.

It’s serious competition and they’re not messing around.

The team was second half regular season champions with a 7-3 record and finished as runners-up in the playoffs.

“Last season we made the playoff and lost in the first game,” said Noe Quiroz. “We’re making progress.”

There are 15 players on the team. Nine of them are HHSA employees and the rest are family members.

“So we were able to not only bond with our teammates, but their families as well,” said Kristina Hernandez.

Hernandez was the catalyst for starting the team.

They were all inspired by the County’s Live Well San Diego initiative and discovered several co-workers previously played or were interested in taking up soccer.

“It was not difficult to form a team,” said Hernandez. “Some players were playing for the first time, so we would have practices to form better chemistry amongst us.”

“The chemistry here at work helped out a lot and has helped us on our communications skills,” said Robin Dunbar.

The whole office has gotten into the spirit and has been very supportive of the team.

“I just started in this office last July and I didn’t know anyone but I really got to know all my co-workers through soccer,” said Robert Hood. “You get to let loose on the soccer field and our co-workers come out and cheer us on.”

One co-worker, Benno Davis, has really gotten into supporting the team. Hood said he’s their biggest cheerleader.

“He’s a fanatic,” agreed Eddie Hernandez. “He’s even brought a megaphone to the games.”

The encouragement is needed because it can get quite rough-and-tumble out there. Almost every player on the team has been injured at some point.

“There’s lots of sprinting and running around,” said Jose Aguero. “It’s very fast-paced.”

Rosa Torres pointed to a bruise on her shin. “This bruise is from last Sunday.”

Eddie said the first question they get asked on Monday mornings isn’t if they won or lost, it’s if they’re sore.

The bottom line according to Hood: “It’s just for fun and to get out of the office and run around for an hour.”

The team won’t get much rest, either. They have to have their paperwork in for the next half-season in just two weeks.

The team with their second place trophy from the playoffs last weekend..