Kids score big with ‘Friday Night Lights’ soccer games

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A former professional soccer player is lending her time and expertise to local youth for free.

For the past few Friday nights Kim Crabbe has been running soccer games for the kids that live in the Royal Palms Mobile Home Park.

Crabbe is the director of community outreach for the Wilmington Hammerheads but she also coaches youth soccer and serves as a mentor.

She said she saw a need in the Royal Palm community and she filled it with soccer. She said she knows players that live in the neighborhood and they can’t always go to other places to play so she wanted to bring the game of soccer to them. She provides the balls, water, and of course the coaching and mentorship.

“To bring the sport here, bring it in here, right here in this neighborhood, it’s perfect,” said Crabbe. “To have this readily accessible, it keeps them focused. I expect a lot out of them.”

Crabbe said she wants to be able to run other free soccer programs throughout the county and in surrounding counties. But for now she hopes to be able to continue the games at Royal Palms.

Crabbe was a member of the 1985 NCAA National Championship team at George Mason. He college career was followed by her being the first African-American women to make the U.S. Women’s National team.

The children ages 4 to 14 play Fridays 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and any child is welcome to play.