Double take

Bryce Alderton

Having two children make the All-Star soccer team alone is an

accomplishment, not to mention in the same year for the first time.

And, get this, they are twins.

Stephanie and Tom Badum, both 12-year-old soccer players, each

made the Corona del Mar AYSO Region 97 Gold All-Star teams following

the fall season. Tom made the boys under-12 team while Stephanie

secured a spot on the girls team in the same age bracket.

Stephanie and Tom live with their mother and father, Lynda and

Steve, in Newport Beach and have been playing soccer since they were

5.

When asked if they practice soccer much when at home, Lynda Badum

laughed.

“No, they pick on each other and fight some,” she said. “They

don’t have time to practice at home because they play it elsewhere

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.”

Stephanie and Tom both consider soccer their favorite sport,

according to Lynda. Tom also plays baseball and likes football.

Tom’s All-Star coach, Mario Navarro, shifted the 12-year-old to

sweeper and the results have been favorable. Tom hadn’t played

defense prior to the move.

“Tom usually plays the whole game,” Navarro said. “He is a

defensive specialist with a nice strong foot and is a joy to coach.”

Stephanie has played defense for a few years and made the Silver

All-Star team last season.

Navarro coached the Silver All-Stars the previous two seasons and,

even though the current team is 0-3-2, he said this is the most

talented team he has had.

“The problem is coaching all these guys who have been the

strongest on their (fall) teams,” Navarro said. “But some of the

historically weaker regions like Huntington Beach and Tustin have

gotten stronger, so it’s a lot more competitive.”

Region 97 Commissioner Tony Anish helped bring in British soccer

professionals to observe and assess players’ skills during tryouts,

essentially removing coaches from the selection process. The workouts

are run like practices.

“It makes it easier to focus on who the well-rounded players are

and that is the most important thing to me,” Navarro said. “It

removes the bias for coaches to pick their own players. You always

get good shooters, defenders and midfielders.”

Last weekend, Stephanie and Tom both played two games Saturday at

different sites. Stephanie competed at 9 a.m. at Andersen School in

Newport Beach, then in Irvine at noon. Tom’s team played at 10:30

a.m. at Harper Community Center in Costa Mesa, then in Irvine at 1:30

p.m.

Stephanie’s team finishes the All-Star season with a game Feb. 1

while Tom’s squad will play its final contest Feb. 15. Each team

plays 10 games with the top two representing Orange County at the

sectionals.

The twins are both in seventh grade and attend Ensign Intermediate

in Newport Beach. Steve is the public works director for the city of

Newport Beach.

Lynda commended the dedication of both Navarro and Stephanie’s

coach, Gerardo Jimenez.

“(Jimenez) lives for soccer,” Lynda said. “They are both very

positive coaches who don’t yell at the kids, but treat them well.

They are both an inspiration and role models.”