Game Changers - Soccer Champion Mia Arenas
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
Five-year-old Mia grew up watching her brother play soccer. She wanted to join in - to play with him, but didn't know how. Now, eleven months after joining DSAL Soccer, she's one of the most fearless defenders on the courts, and soccer has become a bond she shares with her brother and her dad.
"My older brother encouraged me to join soccer so I could play with him. I liked seeing him play, but because I didn't know how to play I couldn't. Thanks to the class I learned, and now I can play with him."
She was shy at first when presented with a new environment full of unfamiliar faces, but the welcoming attitude of the group quickly made her feel right at home.
"I was shy at first meeting all the other new kids, but later on I got to make friends with them and I am happy about it."
Her coaches noticed something remarkable almost immediately. Despite her age and size, Mia plays with a fearlessness. She doesn't hesitate. She goes after the ball. She defends against players twice her size without flinching. The courage she brings to the futsal court is important in young athletes. At just five years old, Mia already has it.
For Mia, though, what matters most isn't the competition, or being the best, it's the people.
"I like that I get to play soccer and that the coaches are nice with everyone, and that there are a lot of other kids to play soccer with."
A big part of DSAL is the kindness that coaches model and that participants carry forward. It shows up in how players treat each other on the court.
"Everyone gets to be nice to each other, and there are no mean kids like in school."
That feeling of safety in DSAL's culture is incredibly important for developing individuals. Young children need spaces where they feel genuinely safe, welcomed, and free from the social anxiety that can make early childhood difficult to navigate.
"It has made me happy since I get to make new friends, and I like to play soccer with everyone. I feel more confident now."
Confidence, friendship, safety, belonging - these outcomes matter at every age, but they are especially critical in early childhood, when social and emotional development are happening.
What Mia experiences at DSAL isn't just playing with friends - it's developmental infrastructure.
"I also get to play soccer with my big brother too, and sometimes with my dad. It makes me happy."
Where Mia once watched from the sidelines, now with new skills and confidence, Mia can play soccer with her brother and her dad. It is this type of shared experience that deepens family relationships in ways that can last a lifetime.