Kicking Up a Storm and Connecting with the Community
Cal Maritime sophomore Vonne Ng-Bader of the women's soccer team teamed up with Vallejo Councilwoman Pippin Dew and Brazilian women's soccer star, now local fixture Sissi, for their annual "Kicking Up a Storm" event on June 5, 2021. Councilwoman Dew and the Sacramento Storm, a women's WPSL semi-professional team operating out of Sacramento, California, sponsored the free event, which served over 100 local children and provided an outlet for learning soccer skills, leadership skills and healthy living habits. Our very own Vonne volunteered her time and soon found herself in the center of the action, helping to check -in kids at the registration booth as well as helping one of the coaches run their session with the young athletes and at the foot golf booth.
"I arrived and councilwoman Pippen Dew said I could help out in any way that I wanted. I started out in the check-in booth where all the players checked in to get their complementary T-shirt and ball," said Ng-Bader. "I handed them each a ball and helped size them in their matching special event t-shirt. After every player was checked in, I made my way over to the different booths that were set up. I mainly stayed with the soccer golf booth where I encouraged the girls in a soccer golf mini game and handed out prizes when they made the ball into the target."
An additional reward of the day was Ng-Bader getting to meet Brazilian legend and former Sacramento Storm player, now board member and local coach Sissi, who currently assists at Solano Community College with Jeff Cardinal for their women's soccer program. Sissi also currently coaches for local Bay Area club Walnut Creek Surf. Sissi was the Golden Boot winner in the 1999 Women's World Cup where she scored seven goals.
On her experience meeting Sissi: "I thought that meeting the Brazilian soccer legend Sissi was amazing!! I had no idea that she would be there but when I saw her trophies and then saw her, it was the coolest thing. Hearing her backstory and how she grew up inspired me. She was living proof of "hard work pays off." It was a moment of a lifetime to meet her and I'll never forget it. Also, it was amazing to meet a soccer legend who has been to the highest level of soccer and excelled at it."
As a Bay Area native herself from El Cerrito High and club player from the Spurs, CSUM is grateful to Ng-Bader for helping Cal Maritime women's soccer to forge and solidify these community links, with local city council leadership, with the community college and local coaches, as well as the local soccer playing youth in Vallejo. She reflected the day overall, which was an outstanding example of our NAIA Champions of Character pillar of "Servant Leadership":
"I thought it was a super nice event and it felt very fulfilling! Councilwoman Dew was a great host who was extremely welcoming. You could tell that she put a lot of time and effort into the event and was proud of her accomplishments. I thought it was a great event that allowed me to be engaged with the young girls who are just starting out soccer, which reminded me of when I was younger. It was fun to meet the kids because it reminded me of a time where soccer was purely there for enjoyment and there weren't any risks or things that are at stake--which is what comes with more highly competitive soccer. It was nice to be on the field and be there purely for the purpose of having fun. I think that spending a day with the girls was great and I hope that they learned from me, because I learned from them!"