Friday night time soccer brings therapeutic in Kerrville : NPR

[ad_1] Nonetheless recovering from devastating July flash flooding, the Kerrville neighborhood gathered for the Texas custom of highschool soccer Friday night time. As Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davies reviews, the Tivy Antler varsity soccer crew took on Del Rio of their season opener at Kerrville's Antler Stadium, the identical location that was a volunteer hub after the July 4th flooding and the place a latest huge memorial was held.

SCOTT DETROW, HOST:

The beginning of highschool soccer season is all the time a giant deal in Texas. However when the Tivy Antlers in Kerrville performed this weekend, it took on further significance as a part of the neighborhood's therapeutic from the devastating flash flooding in July. Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davies reviews.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: I must buy tickets.

REBECCA CRIDER: All proper. What number of you need?

DAVID MARTIN DAVIES, BYLINE: On the Kerrville Impartial Faculty District Tivy Antler Stadium, Rebecca Crider has been promoting tickets for the final 25 years. However this night time's recreation is completely different.

CRIDER: I really feel honored to be within the presence of all these concerned within the rescues, and I am glad they have been right here.

DAVIES: That is the primary varsity recreation because the massive flood, and it is being performed to salute the primary responders who confirmed up when catastrophe hit, which included a flyover of Nationwide Guard Black Hawk helicopters.

(SOUNDBITE OF HELICOPTERS FLYING OVERHEAD)

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: We're proud to salute our first responder honorary captains for this primary varsity soccer recreation.

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: These folks characterize the bravery and dedication that maintain our hill nation neighborhood secure.

DAVIES: Within the early morning hours of July 4, a stalled cluster of thunderstorms dumped over a foot of rain that funneled into the Guadalupe River. It rose catastrophically - virtually 30 ft. With out warning, a wall of water smashed into vacation vacationers and summer season camps. No less than 135 folks have been killed. At Camp Mystic, a Christian women summer season camp, 27 misplaced their lives.

SKYLER DERRINGTON: (Singing) Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

DAVIES: On Friday night time, a survivor of Camp Mystic, 12-year-old Skyler Derrington, sang her personal rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah."

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #2: KISD Heroes - their willingness to place different security above their very own.

DAVIES: Faculty bus drivers have been additionally being acknowledged for his or her bravery. In the course of the flood, they grew to become first responders and got here to the rescue of kids trapped by the flood waters. That morning, Kerrville Excessive Faculty principal Rick Sralla organized a convoy of 10 college buses.

RICK SRALLA: Very troublesome driving, very troublesome terrain, mud, all these form of issues - and we arrived on the camps. The camps have been doing a superb job of maintaining the children in form of a triage session. However we arrived, and there have been youngsters of their pajamas with their stuffed animals.

DAVIES: Sralla mentioned he sees his personal college students coping with the trauma of that day.

SRALLA: We did not know their tales when it was taking place, however after some time, you recognize, they floor, and we assist these wants. We have got a number of assist for all of our kids, all of our household, all of our neighborhood members.

DAVIES: Sralla mentioned a part of that therapeutic is soccer, which is greater than a recreation. Earlier than kickoff within the locker room, head coach Curtis Neill addressed his gamers.

CURTIS NEILL: Once we get on the market, assist each other. There's going to be nice issues that occur. There's going to be some issues the place we'll have some setbacks, adversity. It may hit us sq. within the mouth. We received to carry on to 1 one other. We received to assist each other. And we simply received to regroup and go. It is that easy. All people received it?

UNIDENTIFIED FOOTBALL PLAYERS: Sure, sir.

UNIDENTIFED ANNOUNCER #3: Landing, Tivys.

DAVIES: The Antlers took to the sector in opposition to the Del Rio Rams. They gave their neighborhood one thing to cheer about - successful the sport 40 to 21. For NPR Information, I am David Martin Davies in Kerrville, Texas.

Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts might differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to appropriate errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its unique broadcast or publication. The authoritative report of NPR’s programming is the audio report.