How It Is Now
The new International Indoor Soccer Arena
is bigger and better. It is in a nicer part of
town. The new facility is state-of-the-art.
The old facility had been build in the 1950s
and never upgraded.
"We have received a positive response
from the community. About 95% of our
teams came over. Lil' Kickers doubled. We
are right in the middle of town, off a major
freeway that connects the east and west
side. We have access to more people."
What is remarkable is how almost
everyone Gabe worked with during the
construction of the new facility–from
contractors to plumbers to electricians–
was connected to the soccer community in
Albuquerque and helped move the process
along. For example, a contractor told Gabe
FALL201
3
that it usually "takes forever" to get a
building permit. "I didn't have forever. I
was paying an enormous amount for rent
in my old building. I needed to get out of
there as soon as possible. I didn't want to
keep
paying that."
She expedited the permit, and it went
through the next day.
The
permit needed to be approved
in
order to begin construction,
but, as
far as Gabe knew, it
was
sitting on someone's
desk–
someone who had
no idea
of the urgency of
the
situation–simply
awaiting
approval. Gabe knew
a city councilman in a different district–
they went to high school together–so
Gabe emailed him, explained the
situation and asked for help. The
councilman forwarded the email to the
appropriate person. That person just
happened to be a Lil' Kickers' parent.
Since then, the soccer community in
Albuquerque has delighted in the feel of
high-quality turf beneath their feet and
bright lights shining on their faces. Moms
and dads can watch their children run and
play and sing and kick from their favorite
spots in the bleachers. The facility is clean.
Programs begin on time.
Construction began during the summer
of 2011, and the facility opened six
months later.
International Indoor Soccer Arena has
grown and changed in ways Gabe Nosseir
could never have planned or foreseen.
He appreciates the lessons from the past
and uses them, as best he can, to prepare
for the future.
13
