Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Michler.
Hi Tom, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
In 2004 I witnessed firsthand how a field taken back from drug dealers and gangs was turned around into a baseball field for the kids in the neighborhood. This took place in the Cabrini-Green Housing Projects in Chicago, possibly the worst tenant housing in the country at the time. When the field was taken back and groomed into a playable field, the entire neighborhood around the field transformed into a more thriving, safer, and inviting area. This was such a success story that Hollywood made a movie loosely based on the story entitled Hardball. New York Times best-selling author Daniel Coyle, who penned The Talent Code, also wrote about this magical story in his book, HardBall: A Season in the Projects.
I had a similar idea insofar as using soccer to welcome refugee children new to St. Louis since we had been designated a Refugee Resettlement City and my two young kids needed more exposure to diversity. I then ran into Tim Tettambel, a former teammate at CBC High School, and Tim had a similar vision for kids on the south side of St. Louis who didn’t have access to the game.
We started setting up 4v4 games for kids with no referees, and they loved it. We didn’t worry about keeping score but only played for fun. We asked coaches not to coach from the sidelines. Instead, let the kids have control of the game and see what happens. And what happened was that creativity flowed from the kids.
Our efforts are always driven by the intention to create a welcoming space for kids from all backgrounds, regardless of ability, so that everyone feels a strong sense of belonging when attending our programs. More importantly, we brought kids together from all backgrounds with soccer as the connecting mechanism. That is our win.
We then expanded into after-school programs, where we started teaching life skills in addition to soccer. We’re very proud of our data, which reflects parents’ satisfaction with this program component. We have also brought genocide survivor Gilbert Tuhabonye to St. Louis in 2007 to speak of his powerful journey of forgiveness, created a cultural exchange soccer experience with our Dutch friends, and helped to bring the award-winning documentary Pelada to St. Louis in 2010. Our current focus is to fully align our program with childhood development stages to provide a solid foundation for the child’s physical, social, and emotional intelligence.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
I often hear myself say that we operate in a dynamic environment of constant change and challenge because the kids and families we seek to serve are experiencing the same. We seek to be an oasis, a distraction, by creating a space without pressure or specific focus on the outcome. The areas we work in come with hazards at times that can’t be ignored, specifically gun violence in places where kids play. But the two guys who turned a field around in Chicago continued, so you learn what to expect inconsistent attendance, wrong uniform items, and coming late become small items in the bigger picture. First and foremost, we are safety aware, so wherever we go, we have to have a sense that we can provide that environment for the kids so they can be free from distractions and have fun. In 20 years, I am happy to say we’ve had few incidents, but all it takes is changing perceptions.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Professionally speaking, I am a Licensed Counselor and Certified Energy Medicine Practitioner, so I am interested in more of the abstract, energetic, non-physical aspects of our life experience and how powerful our intentions can be in bringing hope to others. I’m most proud of being able to infuse some of this intention into New Dimensions Soccer and connect with others with the same passion. To have played a role in creating such a space.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from growing up.
Being called the principal’s office in 3rd grade, thinking that she somehow knew I had smuggled my baseball card collection out of my house that day and brought it to school. My dad had gone down too early in the morning to get standing-room-only tickets to the 1967 World Series featuring the Cardinals playing the Red Sox. I was being pulled out of school to go to the game. I saw Jim Lonborg beat us 3-1, but I did see Roger Maris hit a home run for us. It was an electric atmosphere and a memory I cherish to this day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.newdimensionssoccer.org
