More than 200 young soccer players filled Don Roux Field in Lewiston Monday night for an evening that brought Portland Hearts of Pine players together with one of Maine’s strongest soccer communities.
Hosted in partnership with the Lewiston Recreation Department, the free youth clinic gave players ages 5 to 18 the chance to get on the field, work through drills and games, and spend time with Hearts players Khalid Hersi, Walter Varela and Jay Tee Kamara.
For Hersi, the night meant a little more.
The Hearts defender grew up in Lewiston and starred at Lewiston High School before continuing his career at the University of Southern Maine and eventually becoming the first Mainer to sign with Hearts of Pine.
Returning to the same community as a professional player gave Hersi the opportunity to show a new generation of young players where the game can take them.
“Being able to work with young players in my hometown means a lot to me,” Hersi said. “Lewiston gave me my foundation, and now I’m proud to give back and help the next generation believe in themselves and their potential.”
Throughout the evening, young players moved through drills and games alongside Hersi, Varela and Kamara, with plenty of time for autographs, photos and one-on-one moments with the Hearts players. Each participant also went home with a soccer ball provided as part of FIFA’s promotion of the 2026 World Cup.
For Hearts of Pine, the night was another opportunity to bring the club beyond Portland and directly into communities around the state.
Lewiston has been an important part of the Hearts story from the beginning. The city hosted the club’s first-ever match in Maine in March 2025, when Walter Varela scored the first goal in Hearts history on that very field at Lewiston High School. Monday night brought Varela back to where it all started, this time alongside his teammates and a new generation of young players in a community where soccer has deep roots.
“Being Maine’s club means getting out into communities across the state and giving kids a chance to connect with our players and with the game,” said Hearts founder and Chief Community Officer Gabe Hoffman-Johnson.
“Having Khalid come back to Lewiston alongside Walter and Jay Tee makes this one especially meaningful,” Hoffman-Johnson said. “We want kids here to be able to look at Khalid and see someone from their own community who grew up playing the same game they love and is now doing it professionally right here in Maine.”
For young players in Lewiston, the night offered more than a chance to meet professional players. It was a reminder that the path from a local field to the professional game can start right here in Maine.