Soccer League For Underprivileged Kids In Seattle Cancels Season Due To Shootings And Drug Overdoses From Nearby Homeless Encampment

Published|Updated

Homelessness and crime are so out of control in Seattle that kids can't even safely play soccer.

Valor Soccer, a youth soccer league created for underprivileged kids, has elected to cancel the remainder of its season due to the crime plaguing the area where games are played. The field is located next to the well-known and very populated Green River Rd. homeless encampment.

The King County Sheriff's Office has received 991 calls for drug overdoses, fights, fires, and shootings over the last few months.

Earlier this month, Seattle-based journalist Jonathan Choe detailed the troubles plaguing the area, which included serious vandalism of the field that resulted in more than $100,000 in damages. The nets of the goals have reportedly been cut down in the past while other equipment has been stolen as well.

The CEO of Valor Soccer, Dean Aldridge, shared that the fields "serve our most economically challenged kids," but gangs are moving into the area, and things have only gone downhill in the area since the pandemic began.

“There are gunshots going off all the time. Not only gunshots but stolen cars on the side of the road. Homeless people on the side of the road. People passed out from drugs on the side of the road and kids have to see this. They're just babies. They're just kids," Aldridge told 'The Ari Hoffman Show.'

"There's nothing humane about letting people live out there like animals."

Unlike plenty of people in Seattle who have seemingly made excuses for the crime and homeless issues in the city, Aldridge is rightfully putting the blame on the soft-on-crime policies.

Dow Constantine, King County Executive, deserves credit for the disasters that keep taking place in the area, according to Aldridge.

"These individuals know this is just a free zone where they can shoot their guns, and dump their garbage. I have not heard from Dow. I have not heard from his office," Aldridge said. "If his kids or grandchildren were down here playing, I’m sure it would be cleaned up."

Underprivileged kids can't play soccer on the weekends because government officials in Seattle are incompetent. It's disgusting.

Follow Mark Harris on X @ItIsMarkHarris. You can also email him at mark.harris@outkick.com.

Tags
Written by

Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.