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By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
On August 11, between Saturday and Sunday at noon on the Hunnewell Fields, Olivia Francis and Bridget Noonan played barefoot soccer for 24 straight hours as part of an annual Wellesley tradition. Joined by whoever else wanted to swing by, donate 25 dollars to a good cause, and get a free tee shirt, the event was designed to raise money for Grassroots Soccer, a charity that “uses the power of soccer to connect young people with the mentors, information, and health services they need to live healthier, more productive lives, and be agents of change in their communities.” More specifically, the money will be used to help fight the spread of AIDS in Africa.
Usually led by senior soccer players from Wellesley High School, Olivia Francis explained how the event has become a cherished tradition.
“Barefoot soccer is an annual event in Wellesley that raises money for kids in Africa to prevent the spread of AIDS and connect them with mentors to kind of give them the knowledge they need to live better lives. It raises money through people coming out and playing barefoot soccer for 24 hrs, from noon to noon.”
But why are they barefoot?
According to Francis, it’s both a traditional choice and an intentional decision to make sure more people can play - the advertisement for the event specified no shoes or shinguards necessary - and so that any potential player won’t be scared off for not thinking they’re good enough at soccer.
“It’s kind of just, everyone drops by when they want to drop by. It’s just a very casual pickup game with any age level. It’s always been the tradition to always be barefoot. It kind of makes it more interesting, and less serious.”
It also allowed the tee shirts to have a really clever design, featuring the continent of Africa as a foot.
But playing barefoot does come with its own risks. During the first hour of play, one of the younger players stepped on a bee and needed Francis and Noonan to reach for the first aid kit. With a little ice, he hopped up and went right back to playing, but it was a reminder that even those who didn’t have to stay up all night playing were still making sacrifices in the name of charity.
The young player hopped up, laughed it off and kept on playing.
There were still 23 hours to go, and the knowledge that he was making a difference took much of the sting away.
