Support Cebollitas FC - Costa Rica

Hello! I'm Billy Barrantes, and I initiated this fundraiser as a way to express gratitude to the community that played a pivotal role in shaping my upbringing. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and this small community in the central valley of Costa Rica quite literally raised me and my siblings. With dad absent and mom working multiple jobs, the mothers and fathers of this town became our pillars of support. Their love, delicious homemade Costa Rican dishes, prayers, and life advice were instrumental in steering me away from potential troubles that, unfortunately, some of my friends couldn't avoid. Amid poverty, rising crime, and drugs, soccer became our refuge on the field at the heart of our neighborhood. This field served as a sanctuary, allowing us to be kids and receive guidance from coaches dedicated to seeing our community thrive. One such friend who found solace in soccer amid family turmoil is Byron Jimenez, one of my closest childhood friends.

Against considerable odds, Byron overcame daunting obstacles, reaching the pinnacle of professional soccer in Costa Rica while holding fast to his newfound faith. Byron's testimony serves as a beacon of hope for a community witnessing its future generation succumbing to crime and drugs. His inspiring story can be found at the end of this message.

Presently, Byron has made it his mission to be a light in the darkness by establishing the Cebollitas FC Soccer Academy. He mobilized the community after the soccer program faced closure due to insufficient funding and took it upon himself, alongside dedicated volunteers, to breathe new life into it. Over the past four months, they have invested their Saturday mornings in organizing practices and games, witnessing remarkable growth from a group of five kids to over 50.

While this surge in participation is fantastic news for a community aspiring to provide a better future for its children, the challenge lies in meeting the escalating equipment needs of the soccer academy. Although my wife and I have made an initial donation to kickstart the initiative and a small monthly contribution, the rapidly increasing demands surpass our capacity. Therefore, I reach out to all of you reading this, seeking assistance in reaching our goal of $1500. This amount will cover:

No donation is too small, and every contribution makes a significant impact on these kids' lives. Thank you in advance for your support. If you'd like more information about this fundraiser, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Billy and Rowan Barrantes

Byron's Story

My transformative journey with the Cebollitas FC Desamparados de Alajuela football academy started when I was just seven years old. Coming from a low-income family, I was exposed to a turbulent household shaped by my verbally and physically abusive alcoholic father. He had a deep-seated disregard for my passion for football and frequently humiliated me. This unfortunate environment filled me with fear and insecurity, leaving me highly sensitive to harsh words—an attribute that proved challenging in the boisterous world of football.

Despite this, every Saturday my uncle would take my cousin to a football school named Plaza Acosta, located in the outskirts of our town. I yearned to join them but was restrained by the fear of my father's reaction. One day, recognizing my enthusiasm for the sport, my uncle brought me to a football class, backed by my mother's consent since my father disapproved.

That's when my journey truly began. The coaches saw potential in me and, despite my anxiety and distracted demeanor, my uncles' support never wavered. However, when my father unexpectedly showed up at one of the games, his shouts from the stands stirred up my latent fears and insecurities. It was a defining moment in my career. Tearfully, I asked my uncle to keep the locations of future games a secret from my father so that I could play in peace.

Despite these challenges, I was determined to use football as a platform to provide for my family. At the age of eight, I joined a new team that my cousin was also a part of. It meant traveling alone on the bus, with just enough money for the fare, and not even being able to afford a snack. However, these hardships fortified my mental resilience, and I refused to let anything halt my progress.

After spending five years trying out for various teams far from home, at 12 years old, I finally got the opportunity to play for a more established team: the Walmer el Pato López Football Academy. By 15, I had made my professional debut. Upon seeing my progress, my father attempted to reconcile and support me. I accepted his efforts cautiously, still scarred by the past.

It was around this time that I discovered my father was engaging in criminal activities to support our family of five siblings, with me being the eldest. At 16, our relationship was beginning to mend and my career was flourishing with offers from two of the country's biggest clubs, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense and Club Sport Herediano. Just as my father started to show pride in my achievements and began transporting me to each game, he was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison.

This development had a significant impact on both my adolescence and football career. My family needed me to work since my father could no longer support us. I decided to play for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense because of its proximity to my home. However, the initial salary they offered me was insufficient to support my family.

Faced with the prospect of abandoning football, I made the regrettable decision to join a local gang to secure the funds our family needed. I also started leading a reckless lifestyle, coming home late, and neglecting my footballing duties. Nevertheless, my talent allowed me to stay in the club for five years, though I never reached total success due to my poor decisions. At 20, I was let go from the club and found myself unemployed.

At 21, when my future seemed bleak, the police came looking for me. However, I was given a second chance. The sight of my family weeping at the possibility of my arrest jolted me into a profound moment of realization.

Subsequently, I found myself playing football again in a modest second division team called Grecia. Despite a low salary, my mother supported me by cleaning houses, and we managed to make ends meet. During this trying period, I met my wife Nicole. Along with a friend named Alcides, they helped me foster a closer relationship with God, and I started attending a church called Misión Jesucristo Vive. This marked a turning point in my life. I experienced a two-day spiritual encounter with God, where I forgave my father and comprehended life's true meaning.

Nicole, my girlfriend at the time, moved in with me, and we rented a small apartment where our life journey began. Despite financial difficulties, our faith never wavered. I contemplated retiring from football to take up a regular job, but Nicole encouraged me to persevere. On a Tuesday during a church gathering, I had a vision where I saw myself standing on a football field, holding a championship cup surrounded by my mother, wife, and entire family. Shortly after recounting this vision to Nicole, I received a call from the Grecia team's manager. They asked me to return as new investors believed in my talent.

I embraced this opportunity and, after a year of rigorous efforts, won the championship and earned promotion to the first division of Costa Rica, improving my salary. Nicole was eight months pregnant, and with the championship prize, we decided to get married.

I have since shared my testimony at my church and with my teammates, and I seize every opportunity to tell my story to inspire people to turn to God and believe in the power of goodwill.

My life experiences, coupled with my footballing journey, led me to conclude that I must share the knowledge and experience I've gained in football, especially with the children of our town who lack a football academy that could offer them a path away from the troubles I once encountered.

This forms the vision for my project: to promote football and teach values that nurture these children into not just skilled footballers, but also well-rounded individuals.