THE POWER of SOCCER

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. In the United States, more than 18 million children participate in soccer leagues and programs each year, making it the most popular and fastest growing youth sport in the America, according to the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA). Soccer is primarily a suburban sport and many sections of our nation's cities have no soccer fields or programs available to children who have no transportation or money to join an organized club. We believe it is important to focus on low-income communities by introducing and developing the sport at a grass roots level.

We aim to provide the opportunity to fall in love with the game of soccer, which can add so much to the experience of childhood, as well as create healthy and positive habits that are useful at any age. Fitness studies show that children who play soccer at an early age are more likely than non-athletes to adopt healthy habits that last a lifetime. Soccerís continuous action helps children build stamina, strengthen muscles, and develop coordination. Soccer helps keep children fit - an important benefit considering one in every four children in America is overweight. The sport also helps the development of life-skills, such as discipline, teamwork, leadership, sportsmanship and self-esteem.

THE POWER OF EDUCATION

Education enables people to move up in the world, seek better jobs, and ultimately succeed in life. The foundation is committed to support education in order to break the cycle of poverty in low-income communities. The academy supports and monitors the children's academic status with tutor assistance, school partnerships, and positive reinforcement. This allows them to develop new learning skills at an early age, which has proven to be a catalyst in increasing their fields of interest and overall performance in the classroom. Education combined with sport can be a valuable tool set to help battle the complexities of everyday life.

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

Every community provides a unique source of pride for its residents, regardless of the landscape. We hope to harness this pride in order to develop better community members. Learning, at a young age, the ability to listen and work with others develops a compassionate understanding of the world they live in and the relationship between self and others. Our community projects help children appreciate the results of working together for a common goal, as well as the rewarding feelings associated with accomplishing something good for others.

Discipline problems are also less likely to occur when children are occupied in activities that hold their interest. Studies reveal that community participation exposing children to new information, resources, and role models are key elements for developing positive social abilities and academic successes. We aim to provide this to all participants through our soccer programs by involving them in community improvement projects.