Some of my favorite childhood memories on Orcas Island are from the soccer field. In elementary school, my best friends and I got to dress up every Saturday in our brightly colored uniforms to go play exciting games of youth soccer on the Buck Park fields. My dad was my coach for most of the years and we still cherish the various pictures we have from those great times.

In the long run, the youth soccer program helped create better middle school and high school soccer teams by helping hone player skills at a young age. I also took one year off of high school soccer in 10th grade when I had the chance to coach my little brother’s 4th-6th grade team. He now plays for the Orcas Vikings!

It was the Orcas Recreation program – led by my friend Didier Gincig – that allowed me to play soccer my entire life. Soccer is “The Beautiful Game” and it takes a solid program to organize it.

In my short years of voting, I have always been hesitant to vote on tax increases because it is generally my belief that tax and budget reform are more effective than pumping more money into the system. This is a different case; this is Orcas Island money going to a very valuable, healthy, and incredible Orcas program that all of the Orcas youth can benefit from.

I encourage you to research this topic and vote to support Orcas Park and Recreation. Thank you for your time.

Anthony Ghazel

Junior, University of Washington