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Sometimes it only takes a question to get the ball rolling towards progress.

When a group of seventh grade students dared to ask Austin Aspires Middle School Navigator Jesus Alvarez about having an indoor soccer club five years ago, they weren’t sure what would happen.

But five years later, that club was not only approved, but it has given Ellis Middle School boys a chance to play indoor soccer every Friday after school.

Alvarez and some of those original players, who are now seniors, were honored by Austin Aspires at Austin High School Friday.

“We thought (Alvarez) was going to say no and we didn’t even think about asking him, but eventually we did and now it’s a big thing,” Hernandez said. “It’s been shocking to see. I’m glad it happened this way.”

Amongst the group of boys who started the Ellis Middle School Indoor Soccer Club were Aidan Martinez, a Division I University of Wisconsin commit who is now a midfielder at Minnesota United FC, Leo Hernandez, and All-State player for the Packers, Joel Thawng, an All-State player for the Packers, Jovani Parra Palma, Nae Reh and Isaiah Cabeen.

The club featured cones instead of goal nets and it began on the stage of Ellis, due to a lack of gym space. Now the club, which started with about 10 members, sometimes has 50 students showing up on Fridays.

“We started playing on a small space, but they were happy. Every week they were ready for that day. They wanted to do it every day, but we didn’t have the space. It’s still a problem and we don’t have the space for it. That’s why we only do it on Fridays,” Alvarez said. “They know what to do (on Fridays). They know that they can’t be messing around. They get in the locker room, get ready and they wait for me.”

Alvarez was in his first year at Ellis when the club started, so he wasn’t sure how to go about getting the club started. He received help from gym teacher Rodney Pesch and ALC, Austin Online Academy Principal Jessica Cabeen, who was principal at Ellis when the club started. Alvarez played soccer with the boys on Fridays and they all left an impact on him with their work ethic and dedication as student athletes.

“They’re amazing boys and I’m going to miss them,” Alvarez said. “I try to come here once in a while to visit them and they’re happy to see me. I’m very proud of them and I’m happy that they’re going to graduate and they’ll continue to influence the younger kids.”

Austin Aspires Executive Director Jayne Gibson said it was inspiring to see how a few motivated seventh graders started a club that is still going strong.

“Our youth are incredible and they have incredible ideas when the adults listen to them,” Gibson said. “This went way beyond the walls in the gym and kicking a ball around. They developed leadership skills, they became engaged with the school and they developed leadership skills.”