Madera business donates new jerseys to Madera South High School soccer team

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two Madera South High School alumni are taking action by giving back to the soccer team that started it all for them.

Abraham Vasquez still remembers his days as a Madera South High School stallion and says he'll never forget when he got his very own practice jersey.

"I remember just being a little kid and getting that shirt, I'd wear it to all the practices and train in it and when I'd go out with the team, I'd always throw the shirt on," said Vasquez, Co-Owner of The Come Up Kickz.

It's a feeling his former teammate and current business co-owner shares.

"We know when we were practicing, a lot of the kids were struggling to make money and raise money for jerseys because they can get costly," said The Come Up Kickz Co-Owner Herlindo Moreno.

Now owners of the Madera sneaker shop "The Come Up Kickz" that opened last fall, they've donated over 100 practice jerseys to the varsity and JV teams. They say they're hoping to inspire the team they played with just a few years ago.

"When we gave them out just seeing the kids smile, wearing the jerseys, running in them, practicing it felt good," said Moreno. "It just felt good to give back."

For the team, it's much more than just a jersey.

"It gave us a boost to have something to wear," said Madera South High School Nathan Marroquin. "It's something that no ones done for our school. It's just a good feeling that someone that's played here gave back to our team."

"We hope they hustle hard, work hard in school, stay disciplined and hopefully in the future, learn it's good to give back as well," added Moreno.

They tell us this is just the start. They plan to keep sponsoring the team and donating jerseys for years to come.