RATHDRUM - A memorial soccer fund has been set up in honor of a former youth coach and player to offer scholarships to club players in need.

Alex Delfakis died in March at 42. A fund in his name for donations has been set up at all Idaho Independent Banks.

He began coaching in 2002 in Hayden and Rathdrum and sometimes coached two teams per season. He coached the Idaho Thunder club in 2007. He played in the Coeur d'Alene adult league for Las Palmitas for five years.

Delfakis, who lived in Hayden for nine years before moving to Rathdrum, also played local semi-pro football for the Kootenai County Eagles, Stateline Miners and Spokane Wolf Pack.

Melanie Olsen-Delfakis, Alex's ex-wife of 15 years, started the fund.

"I would like to keep this going year round," she said, adding that families pay their fees prior to the start of the season in August. "My goal is to sponsor 10 kids by the start of the season. I know Alex would be smiling in heaven knowing there is a way to help kids play the sport he loved to coach and play."

For more information, e-mail memorialsoccerfund@gmail.com.

A website showing who donates and who is being given a scholarship will be created, Olsen-Delfakis said.