Soccer Team Dedicates Itself to Challenger

Before Tuesday, the boys on the Granada Hills Region 8 soccer team were thinking of one thing--their American Youth Soccer Assn. playoff game today against Saugus-Newhall.

When the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff Tuesday, killing all seven on board, the tragedy was a special loss for the team members, aged 8 and 9.

Granada Hills is nicknamed the Challengers, and the team banner features a sewn replica of the shuttle that was destroyed.

“My son is very science-oriented,” said Granada Hills Coach Barbara Swerkes. Before the season began, Jimmy Swerkes, who plays for the Challengers, lobbied to have the team named for the orbiter, she said. “He’s very interested in flight and space, and says he wants to be an astronaut.”

The soccer players discussed the shuttle disaster at practice.

“They came to practice on Tuesday and that’s all they were talking about,” said Barbara Swerkes, a physical education instructor at Cal State Northridge. “Some of the boys were upset and some wanted to change the team name.

“I said no, and told them that we have to be proud and remember those people who died.”

Said Jimmy Swerkes: “I was at school and someone announced it over the intercom. I was very sad. I couldn’t believe it.”

The team voted to dedicate today’s playoff game at Balboa Park to the memory of the shuttle crew.

The Challengers, 7-5-3 during the regular season, have given up just one goal in three playoff victories. They must win today and beat Van Nuys and Burbank to advance to the sectional playoffs.