Grant helps soccer club leader mentor young Hispanics

Serving as president of a competitive soccer club is more than managing a sport for Shah Quaiyoom.

It's about serving as a mentor and role model to the athletes on the 17 teams that make up the Mundelein Soccer Club. Teaching the skills of the game is important. But it's just as important for Quaiyoom to strengthen his relationship with the players. For that reason, he has an account on Facebook and spends about 13 hours on Saturdays watching games to show his support.

Quaiyoom, who was born and raised in Mexico City, takes a special interest in the Hispanic players, which make up about 60 percent of the club. The Mundelein resident and avid soccer player finds many Hispanic players don't get the training they need when they're young.

Their parents often don't speak English and may not understand the need for constant practice. These kids then are not able to make the high school team.

"Many players don't have a lot of money or their parents are working and can't get them to practice," Quaiyoom said. He makes sure the players are at practice and finds the money to help them play.

This task became a little easier when he was recently awarded a $10,000 grant through a volunteer contest held by his employer. Quaiyoom works as a senior project engineer for ComEd, which is under Exelon Corp. "Exelon promotes volunteerism and asks people to get involved in the community," said Quaiyoom, who volunteered more than 900 hours last year.

Some of this money will be used to help offset the cost of players who can't afford the fees. The Mundelein competitive club charges $750 a year. Neighboring clubs charge up to $1,200.

In addition to coaching, Quaiyoom is attempting to break barriers and help Hispanic families become integrated into the community. While his situation was different from most families immigrating here, he understands the obstacles of cultural barriers.

His father, of Indian heritage, and his mother, originally from Mexico, sent Quaiyoom to an English school in Mexico City. When he was 16, his family moved to Gurnee where Quaiyoom graduated from Warren High School. His father, also an engineer, was a vice president at Mazer chemical company in Gurnee before he launched his own company 17 years ago.

Quaiyoom and his wife, Belinda, a CPA at ITW in Glenview, are raising three children in Mundelein.

Quaiyoom is now working hard to break the barriers and make it possible for Hispanics to play soccer, which dominates the sports scene in their native country.

"Hispanic families love soccer," he said. "They don't usually sign their children up for swimming or piano lessons, he added.

Quaiyoom's goal is to develop his players into the best athletes they can be.

His main challenge is financial.

"I want to keep kids playing," he said. He also works to keep the kids focused on the sport, especially those at risk. "I've lost a couple kids to gangs. It's tough," he added.

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