From football to fútbol

*Some context for this story: according to the U.S. Census, Latinos make up 13.5 percent of the population in Durham, NC. A slightly higer percetnage, 13.9, is foreign born, and 19.4 percent speak a language other than English at home. Durham, like many other parts of the country, is changing. I like what these kids are doing to adapt to the changes. VL

By Olivia Banks, The Duke Chronicle

For many Duke students, there exists an invisible wall between the University and the larger Durham community. But a group of Blue Devil football players took it upon themselves to start a program that has brought local high school students on campus twice a week this spring for a game that the players themselves are still learning.

An idea that originated last June, Soccer Sin Fronteras—a free after-school soccer program—was created as a collaborative effort between Duke and Latino and Latina youth in the Durham area. Despite being much less familiar with soccer, the football players have been instrumental to the program’s early success.

The birth of a partnership

During the summer of 2014, six Duke football players and a few other students enrolled in an intensive Spanish language course taught by Liliana Paredes, director of the Spanish Language Program. During the six-week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. class, students studied and practiced Spanish and participated in service learning events with the Latino and Latina community, which accounts for 13.5 percent of Durham County.

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