Tulsa County Soccer Club Hit Hard By Thieves

A Green Country non-profit youth soccer club is dealing with thousands of dollars in thefts.

West Side Alliance Soccer Club said they've had a lot of equipment stolen.

For Andrea Barnett and her kids, soccer is a way of life.

"I am a soccer mom, 'hashtag' soccer mom," said parent Andrea Barnett. Andrea has four kids who all play for West Side Alliance Soccer Club and who all love the game.

"Teammates and parents cheering for you and scoring goals," said Ellie Barnett who plays for the club.

"People cheer for you, and it makes you very happy," said Macy Barnett, soccer player.

But over the last year, thefts at the West Bank practice fields in Tulsa, have been taking a toll.

"We have a building, two buildings on the property that have been broken into. Air conditioning units and equipment have been stolen," said Barnett.

Barnett said thieves are also targeting temporary lighting towers, used to illuminate the fields, the batteries and gasoline used to power them and soccer goals, which Barnett said costs about $1,000 a piece.

"It's just sad that there are people out there that would want to steal from such a great organization," said Barnett.

Barnett says from last summer until now, about $20,000 worth of equipment has been stolen. The soccer club was also hit hard during the May flooding season. She said floods caused about $75,000 worth of damage at the game fields in Sand Springs and at the practice fields in Tulsa.

"Our fields were flooded, the buildings were damaged, our soccer goals and equipment were damaged,” said Barnett.

Barnett said she just wants to see the thefts stop.

"They give out hundreds of scholarships to families who cannot afford soccer at all and so that’s a big deal," said Barnett.

The club is having an online campaign on October 25 to help pay for pay for a lot of the damages during the flood. Find out more at their Facebook page.