The Somali soccer youth ended the season with a banquet that was held at the Brian Cole Center on November 1, 2011. Dozens of Somali kids were joined by their parents to celebrate the first successful partnership between PAL and the Brian Coyle Center. The kids were given medals for participating in the program along with framed pictures of the team.

This was a major milestone for PAL which is focused on reaching out to all communities in an effort to build relationships and support positive activities for youth. The kids had a terrific time playing, the coaches did an excellent job of organizing the program and working with the kids, and PAL staff were able to gain the trust and support of the community, which is very protective of their youth. If everyone involved had not show the kind of dedication and patience they did the program would not have been a success.

The kids had a terrific time at the banquet. Pizza is always a hit and the kids were very energized after digging into a very large cake. The parents attend the event as well along with several PAL board members.  Special thanks to Chief Greg Hestness from the University of Minnesota. Chief Hestness has served as a PAL board member for almost fifteen years. Garaad Sahal is one of our new board members but he made a point to attending the event to help show support for the youth. Garaad is viewed as a very positive role model for the youth in the community.

You can see more photo showcasing this event in our photo gallery.