Victory is ours! SSNYC get fist win

--New York, New York, Chelsea Pier's league.
10-4, HELP USA's Next Step and SEC shelter's claimed vicory in their third league match. Jarvis Strose, 30 years old, 1346 days in the NYC shelter system is a different person than the guy I met two months ago. After his fourth goal we subbed him and I heard him explaining to a reporter who came to our game in his unique English that "The team is a place for smiles. Everybody come and smile, smile." He gives a lot to the team, mostly in the form of his consistency. He's a guy with special needs, with a lot to offer, and he's offering it up. Everyone else feeds off it. Human potential beginning to be realized. It's beautiful. Dexter Barnet, 47, also had four goals. At dinner after the game we had pizza and salad and water. Dexter ordered a coke. "You like soda," coach Chris Murray asked him. "This is normal. Having a coke with dinner, chatting with people. I miss this," was Dexter's retort. Dexter is a beautiful player. All the ball tricks you can imagine. One moment tonight he put the ball through another player's legs and blasted the ball into the roof of the net. Everyone on the sideline simply marveled at the move. Most of us couldn't conceive of maneuver he just pulled off, least of all the other team's defender. It's beautiful to see Dexter filled with confidence, talking about where he wants to be in the future. Then there was Chris Lodgson. He's moving out of the shelter Friday. He's excelled a this game soccer that he's just learned. We asked Chris to start thinking about college and his long term future. There is Woods who is battling and depression, all smiles, Kourtney who just joined the team getting his first taste of action, Charles Mark, Jean Jeresta, Andres Negron, all these guys full of smiles, full of hope. What can I say, it was a touchy-feely evening. Everyone smiling, everyone winners. Working hard and seeing the reward. I think everyone felt affirmed, touched hope tangibly. Winning is contagious they say. We certainly hope so.

next week's game
Home: Milbank
Away: StreetSoccer NY
Location: North Field
Date: 5/5/2009
Time: 6:00 PM
Day of Week: Tue

Urban Ministry Center in Charlotte, NC is accepting applications for a Street Soccer Americorp VISTA position

The Urban Ministry Center, thanks to a partnership with Americorp VISTA, is excited to announce the availability of a one-year, full time position to work with the innovative Street Soccer 945 program. Street Soccer 945 was the first established year around soccer program for the homeless in the USA and the founding program of Street Soccer USA.

Please contact the Urban Ministry Center for more information and the official job description.

Rob Cann
Director, Street Soccer 945
streetsoccer945@urbanministrycenter.org
704-926-0633

To learn more about Americorp VISTA and to go directly to the application please click here

First Goal for NYC

HELP USA's street soccer team scored a landmark goal, it's first, and did so in style. Check the video here.
Dexter Barnet got turned nicely and launched this shot to make the game a 1-1 tie in the first of the team's Chelsea Piers, League.
Next week Street Soccer NYC places on Tuesday at 8pm. Come cheer them on!

Recession Soccer

proof that we aren't alone or crazy

Our New York team, in solidarity, is here and now officially challenging these guys to a match. We'll come to Hoboken, and you all are more than welcome to come to Ward's Island.

You can scout the team at Chelsea Piers on Tuesday night at 10pm verus FC Bloomberg. And that goes for anyone else too.

Street Soccer UVA practice notes

Street Soccer UVA works with the University of Virginia, the Hope Community Center, and the Salvation Army in Charlottesville, VA. Homelessness is not just a big city phenomena and nor is Street Soccer. Trigg Brown, a sophomore, details some notes from practice, pointing out how sports helps students and players bridge divides.
Darryl had work so he wouldn't be coming to practice last Tuesday night. Kyle, Andrew and I were bummed out because this and sort of nervous because practice is always in danger of missing players. After convincing two guys, Justin and James, to come play with us, we were hopeful. Will didn't answer his brother's door, but he would come if he could, so we understood. Will's situation with his brother is shaky, unstable, and anything but consistent. We were happy to play with two guys, but when we pulled the big old van into the Hope Community Center parking lot, players Will and Josh were waiting there for us with students Walker, Karter, Pen and Will. Game on. After passing around for a few minutes, we circled up and took turns calling stretches. We ran a lap, with the ball of course, and then commenced play on the verdant grass carpet of the city park, subtly tucked away behind the monumental student apartments lining Wertland and 14th St. Their architecture sets up a barrier between University and its impoverished community neighbor. Will has a sneaky style, that reflects the old-school way he hooks shots in a game of hoops. James is a great athlete, and executes decisively. Justin just loves to play. And Josh can smack the ball from goal all the way through the window of those isometric student apartments that ironically provide shelter for our small, quiet, play. There's an awkward air about practice because none of us really know what we're doing playing together, but that feeling -- playing together-- is a good one. It drove practice into the dark. We milked our minutes until eight thirty so we could get James and Justin back to the Salvation Army before curfew. It was a good practice. We're going to have a good team

HULU and Kicking IT

Meritoriously so, Kicking It is number one on HULU!!

If you don't know HULU, go right now and watch Kicking IT on hulu.com. I don't own a TV and watch everything over the net on hulu and sites like it.

Ted Leonsis who is a heartfelt and amazing supporter of Street Soccer USA, is also the lead producer behind Kicking It. He wrote this on his active and informative blog Ted's take Ted is really an inspirational and innovative leader, and his films make a big difference on important issues. You should visit his site www.snagfilms.com and watch his other movie, Nanking, about the Rape of Nanking.


Craig, our player feature in the film, by the way, still trains with Street Soccer USA at the Urban Minisitry Center in Charlotte. He works as moped delivery man and cook. He's addressed his anger management issues through counseling, and he is taking a course to earn his high school diploma.

Last week, Crag and his teammates on the Street Soccer Stars (a group of formerly homeless Street Soccer USA alumni and coaches) won 6-4 to move to the top of their spring league.

Go Kicking It, Go Ted Leonsis, Go Craig, Go Teams!

SSPORT-Ann Arbor

Check out this great photo of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office competition with Wasthenaw County Street Soccer team (in blue). Congrats to the player fighting to overcome homelessness and thanks to the Sheriff's office for supporing them in this effort.

Street Soccer NYC

11 players traveled from two HELP USA homeles shelters in Ward's Island near the Bronx down to Chelsea Piers. The team lost 14-4. They held the game at 4-1 until two goals in the final minute of the first half established larger gap between the teams. Despite the loss, the team did not fight amongst themselves and the hustle and sportsmanship were what we expect out of our program. Well done team. Coaches stressed that the positive attitude will help us build on the game. We can focus on the soccer since we don't have to sort our team disagreements. The rest of the season's sechedule is listed below. We play at 10pm versus Bloomberg FC next week. This is good news for us since our working players will be a off and back to the shelter in time to compete this go around.

Bloomberg FC was vitories 15-8 in their first game, so our work will be cut out for us. Check back to the blog for images and stories of players from games and practices.

Home: StreetSoccer NY
Away: Bloomberg FC
Location: North Field
Date: 4/14/2009
Time: 10:00 PM
Day of Week: Tue

Home: StreetSoccer NY
Away: Palmeiras
Location: North Field
Date: 4/21/2009
Time: 8:00 PM
Day of Week: Tue