Early Saturday morning, out on Sucrose Road — past the hotels, past the sugar cane and farm equipment — the youth of New Iberia kicked off the start of another soccer season at the Louisiana Pepperplex.

Around 8:30 a.m., the Iberia Soccer Association’s Facilities Director Brian Evans and Chief Executive Julie Comeaux welcomed everybody to the playing fields, then thanked the volunteers. 

“Without y’all, this does not happen,” Evans said. He thanked the coaches, sponsors, parents, referees and all others that make the league possible. Then the assembled doffed their hats and held their hand over their hearts for the national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. They craned their necks to peer up at a giant American flag raised high atop the outstretched ladder of an Iberia Parish Fire District #1 fire truck. After the welcoming ceremonies, the youngest players wandered over to the fire truck, to peer inside and to take pictures in front of it. Firefighters had plastic fire helmets to hand out.

But it wasn’t long before the kickoffs commenced. There was a welcome breeze, and not a cloud in the sky.

“This is so great. I love it,” said Clarisse Guillory, whose 6-year-old boy Jefferson Guillory was out on the field with Team Dynamite on Saturday morning. “For one, I like the socialization that takes place. But I also like that it teaches teamwork and camaraderie.”

Games continued throughout the morning and into the early afternoon. Chief Executive Comeaux said there are several hundred children currently enrolled in the league. The fall season continues through October, with most games occurring every Saturday at the Pepperplex.