The Kids Alive (Vida Para Niños) soccer team, Unión VPN Fútbol Club, is making its mark in regional tournaments across the Dominican Republic. Based in Jarabacoa, the team recently hosted games on the Kids Alive soccer field at the Ark Jarabacoa campus. Most of the players on the Unión team are students receiving holistic education and care at ANIJA School, one of the two Kids Alive schools in Jarabacoa. Many come from families struggling to provide for the basic needs of their children, so the ability to compete in soccer tournaments is a rare opportunity and tremendous gift. The team provides a safe, healthy environment for children to spend time during after-school hours, meeting for practices throughout the week in preparation for weekend games.
Leading the team is Coach Johanders, an ANIJA School graduate who now mentors a new generation of student-athletes. His story has come full circle, returning to pour into the same community that once poured into him.
For Johanders, soccer is more than competition—it's a ministry. The field becomes an extension of the classroom, where players live out lessons learned in devotions and Bible classes: kindness, patience, self-control, gentleness, perseverance, teamwork, and honest communication.
Sometimes, challenges arise. Johanders shares that many of the boys struggle with self-control and how they treat one another. “The whole team is learning how to follow structure, because they’re little,” Johanders states. “They’ve never had this kind of training—to listen, to stay quiet—which is really important, especially during games, and they don’t understand that yet. They’re just now learning it, which makes it harder.”
Most players on the team come from homes with unhealthy means of discipline and the absence of a father figure. Johanders’ responsibilities often extend beyond coach to role model and mentor, teaching them values that are rarely modeled in their home.
With a focus on discipleship, Johanders teaches his players to work as a team, respect officials, and use their words to uplift and encourage. Recognizing the emotional and behavioral needs of his team, he has invited Rosanny, the school’s social worker, to integrate team-building exercises into practice. Together, they seek to create a supportive and structured environment that fosters unity and long-term transformation.
Coach Johanders is committed to seeing the transformation of his players—both on and off the field—by planting seeds of character, leadership, and faith. As the team competes and grows, we pray that these young athletes develop into Christ-like men who lead with integrity and serve with compassion—just like their coach.
