Anthony Mirisola, now at UCF, with Sgt. Danny Pacheco, the Kicks’ coach. Photo provided
By Faran Fagen
Anthony Mirisola was 13 when he first attended soccer practice with the Delray Kicks, a team coached by police officers. Mirisola comes from a family of four, including his mom and grandfather.
The following year, Mirisola stopped coming to practice, and police sergeant/coach Danny Pacheco initially thought he had lost interest in the program.
A few weeks later, Pacheco stopped by Mirisola’s house to check on him and discovered that his stepfather had died. Mirisola no longer had a ride to practice, and he had taken on the responsibility of helping to pay the rent and other necessities.
Despite the challenges, Mirisola excelled in school, particularly in ROTC and robotics.
“With the help of members of our Police Department and the community, we were able to support Anthony and his family through this difficult time,” said Pacheco, who arranged transportation and tutors for Mirisola.
Today, Anthony is attending the University of Central Florida with a full scholarship from the Bound for College organization. He is thriving in the ROTC program and doing well academically.
“He is an inspiration to our team and serves as a powerful reminder that anything is possible,” Pacheco said.
Pacheco started the Delray Kicks in 2021 as a way to forge a bond between the police force and the community it serves. The Police Department has been at Merritt Park in Delray Beach every Saturday night, coaching 32 players ages 7-16 in soccer, with drills in defense, shooting skills, passing, kicking and — above all — teamwork.
Two years ago, Pacheco was honored to receive an award from the Carl DeSantis Foundation as the Catalyst of Building Community. The Police Department also received a $32,500 donation to help support the program.
“I feel incredibly blessed as I’m constantly receiving donations from members of our community — not only monetary contributions, but also weekly snacks, drinks and countless cards of gratitude for my efforts,” Pacheco said.
The program has grown in many ways since its inception four years ago. The Kicks have won several games in a recreational soccer league in Delray Beach and have visited a theme park in Orlando and the Frost Science Museum in Miami.
Several kids who started with the team have moved up to academy-level soccer, which opens up more opportunities.
The Police Department continues to support the team by providing fluorescent green jerseys with the Delray Kicks emblem on the front. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department offers Merritt Park free of charge.
Unfortunately, Pacheco recently lost two assistant coaches. One is pursuing a master’s degree, and the other transferred to a police position that limits his availability for public events.
Despite these changes, the program continues to grow.
The most rewarding parts for Pacheco are seeing his players’ smiles and knowing that for a few hours, the players are in a safe and supportive environment.
But he doesn’t stop after the final whistle. He created a WhatsApp group, and he regularly checks in on his kids to make sure they’re staying out of trouble and keeping up with their homework.
“I absolutely love what I do as a police officer,” Pacheco said. “It’s been a total of 25 years in law enforcement for me, and seeing these kids grow and move on to better things in life truly makes me happy. We have had our ups and downs as a team. We have faced challenges, such as parents moving to other cities or counties in search of better job opportunities, but the kids still make the effort to come to practice.”
Mirisola is one of those grateful to Pacheco and the Kicks. He joined the team when it was founded by Pacheco. At first, Mirisola thought it would be a cool thing to do on the weekends or after classes.
“Since then, it has become a huge part of my life and has helped me and my family in ways some people dream about,” Mirisola said. “Over the years, Coach Pacheco and Delray Kicks have given me rides to things unrelated to the team, like school events or personal things that my family wasn’t able to because we didn’t have a car.”
Mirisola said that Pacheco bought food for his family members when they couldn’t afford it, and always made sure they were supported around the holidays, whether via Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas trees, or Christmas gifts.
“The program hasn’t just done this for me, but for many kids in the community,” Mirisola said. “There have been many times over the years that one of the players needed something, and Coach Pacheco worked to get it for them. There was even a time when most players on the team were given bikes for transportation if they didn’t have one, and each bike came with a helmet and a lock.”
Having this support helped Mirisola become a first-generation high school graduate in his family and a first-generation college student.
“This team has done more for me and other kids in the community than most people can imagine, and it’s something that I will always be grateful for and proud to be a part of,” Mirisola said.
Pacheco needs soccer coaches and academic tutors in subjects such as math, science and English. Interested in helping? Contact Sgt. Danny Pacheco Jr. at 561-777-2267 or via email at pacheco@mydelraybeach.com.
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