Untitled Document

Since the late 1970 s/early 1980 s when some of the first Latino immigrants started settling down in the greater Boston area, Latino soccer leagues have provided a unique cultural activity for those adjusting to life in a new land far from home. The first Latino soccer league was formed in 1981 and held games and practices at Franklin Field in Dorchester. Though titled the Latin American Soccer Association (LASA), immigrants from all across the globe including Jamaica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia participated. Today, there are about 6 major soccer leagues around Boston. While recognizing the presence of Spanish soccer leagues in Dorchester, Lynn and Framingham, my project focuses on the Central American Soccer League and its relationship with the Salvadoran community in Somerville. The Latino soccer leagues in Somerville and surrounding cities have provided a number of unique cultural services for the Latino community of the greater Boston area. After speaking with Latinos that have been involved with the soccer leagues in varying degrees and at different times, it is my understanding that the leagues serve as 1) an expression of Latinos passion for the sport, 2) an environment where immigrants of many different countries and cultures come together unified by a love for the sport, and finally 3) a platform for a variety of significant social adjustment processes for recently arrived immigrants. These activities include meeting people and creating a new community for oneself, meeting potential spouses, and networking one s way toward a better job. In all, this project attempts to present the powerful and overwhelmingly positive role soccer leagues play in the lives of Latinos in Somerville, as told by the community itself.