Goal 2

Enjoy this goal by Street Soccer NYC's Dexter Barnett.

SSUSA part of Kasltes' Championship Season

Lawrence Cann (3rd to the right of the World Team Tennis Trophy) Street Soccer CEO and Founder, was on hand with Mayor Fenty of Washington DC, DC Councilman Jack Evans, DC Sports and Entertainment Commission CEO Erik Moses, Great Washington Sports Alliance president Robert Sweeney, and Washington Kastles World team tennis coach Murhpy Jensen, Thursday as the Kastles announced they will host the World Team Tennis Championships on their home court.

Mark Ein, venture capitalist and philanthropist, also announced that the Street Soccer USA Cup and trials for the Homeless World Cup will take place in the same 3,000 person center city stadium July 31st-August 2nd. Mark has brought the community in DC together through the sport of tennis, and his support of Street Soccer USA shows his concern far beyond his own backyard, providing our team of people battling homelessness the chance to play in a first class sporting arena. Our hats are off to Mr. Ein.

Please link to www.streetsoccerusa.org to learn more about the cup and how to volunteer, and how to come cheer at this free event for the whole family.

Street Soccer NYC Images: in route. Next Tues. Game-9pm

Check out some images from Street Soccer NYC, Dex on the subway, Jarvis in uni and out, Ray, Charles, and our team walking to the game in the rain.
Next match is Tuesday at Cheslea Piers, 9pm

SSUSA visits St. Alban's

At the invitation of Hart Roper, Dean of Admissions at St. Alban's, Will Mazzuto of Street Soccer USA and I traveled to this beautiful boy's preparatory school nestled on a breezy hillside behind the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Hart Roper, besides being a dedicator educator, husband, and father of two baby girls, has been my soccer buddy as long as I can remember. We played together on the club level, reaching the final four in the nation as U-17's and were both recruited to play at Davidson. In fact I probably would not have made it very far in soccer at all if Hart's mom hadn't given me rides to so many games, tournaments, and practices. So my soccer life has been synonymous with Hart's. He even came to Charlotte and trained with our 2007 Homeless World Cup team before they went abroad a couple year's ago. St Alban's is lucky to have such a good man working in support of their students, not to mention coaching their varsity soccer team.

In the words of the school's website St. Alban's creates "an intimate community that thrives on close relationships between faculty and students, on daily family style lunches, on a challenging yet caring environment." I was struck when I read that because it is very similar to what we try to do for our street soccer players, just substitute soccer practices for "daily style lunches."

I was also struck while attending such a lunch at how the school provided structure and support. In describing the upcoming field day, one teacher told the students what to wear, where to be, when to be their, how to act while there, as well as how not to act. This type of instruction and guidance is exactly what most of our players have lacked, growing up in poverty, changing schools, changing families, etc.

When I gave a presentation to the middle school students I tried to contrast what I had seen at the lunch with the lives of many of our participants. The students were very impressive. They spoke up, responded, asked questions, and genuinely engaged in the question, "what would it be like for me to be homeless."

In the end several of the students came up afterward offering to volunteer at our cup and we set up a tentative challenge match for our July 31st Street Soccer USA Cup tournament against St. Alban's. We hope to see many of the students, faculty, and parents at the matches representing the school, sharing their impressive community with our players by supporting them as fans. We look forward to recognizing the group on the PA. Perhaps they will win the top fan group award at the cup. Who is going to challenge them?

NYC Strikes Again. 8-7 victory; #6 most emailed . . .

On the same day that Street Soccer NYC ranked #6 on the NYTimes most emailed stories list,
Street Soccer NYC quietly moved out of 6th place and into tie for 3rd in the Chelsea Piers league.
MVP of the match was Andres Negron, a native of Brooklyn whose first love was baseball. Andres
loves all sports, he says. He made some key saves in Both haves that kept SSNYC in the match.
Dexter Barnett and Jarvis Strose again delivered the goals for SSNYC. Kourtney Talton also impressed in just his second game.

Next week's game: 9pm, field North at Chelsea Piers

Sunday New York Times Front Page

See the article and video online here

Thanks to the HELP USA board and staff, to the corps of amazing volunteers, and most of all to our courageous players, for taking the program so far and achieving such a strong impact in a short time.

Street Soccer NYC's schedule can be linked to here. You can also come back to this blog for the latest upcoming game posting and news about sports for social change through Street Soccer USA across the country.

And as long as Dexter is a star, here is his goal one more time from game # 2

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

Chicago Inferno

Playing soccer is a lifeline for the homeless
Homeless men find renewed purpose, camaraderie among soccer teammates

March 27, 2009

By MARISSA AMONI For The Beacon News
Soccer is no game to John Klicpera. It is the 24-year-old homeless man's lifeline.

"It keeps me away from a lot of other negative things," he said.

A member of the Hesed House Infernos soccer team shakes off a missed goal during the team's last game of the season.

Klicpera abused drugs in his teenage years and eventually landed in prison. He did his time, went through drug treatment in Rockford and then returned to Aurora, a city that feels like an "old playground" to him.

So when the opportunity arose to join a newly formed homeless soccer team, Klicpera joined in part to keep out of harm's way.

He had never played soccer before. But Klicpera was in good company because neither had the coach.

"I've never touched a soccer ball in my life," said Jason Holmes, who started the team last fall after being inspired by a late night of TV watching.

Holmes, 32, of Aurora, said that after seeing "Kicking It," a documentary film that chronicles players in the 2006 Homeless World Cup in South Africa, he immediately began researching the local street soccer scene. He e-mailed Lawrence Cann, president and founder of Street Soccer USA, and found out that no homeless soccer teams existed in the Chicago area.

With Cann's long-distance support, Holmes took a self-guided crash course in the sport through library books and soon posted recruitment fliers throughout the Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora, where he works as a program director.

The fliers drew a meager response, so Holmes grabbed a ball one day in October and staged a game across the street.

"Guys just came over to play," Holmes said.

Word of the team quickly spread. At the first official practice for team Inferno, more than a dozen came to play. The team since has an open-door policy and has had as many as 25 players on its roster at one time. Holmes said the "biggest indicator" of success is the number of people who continue to play.

Since its inception, the team has been a refuge for the players -- homeless men who sometimes must angle for a bed to sleep on at night.

"You've got to become a survivor," Klicpera said. "I'm 24; I don't believe I should be where I am. (Homelessness) is really hard -- the people, the times, going from here to there. ... (Soccer) is positive. It is something to look forward to."
In the past year, Juan Venecia went from using crack to being the Infernos' team manager. The 52-year-old deserted his home in Texas to escape a life that wasn't doing him any favors. "It was time for me to go," he said.

Venecia said the homeless shelter has been "rehab" for him. Soccer helps keep him in shape and keep his routine going, so days don't blend together.

Some of the men say the team has changed them for the better.

"(Soccer) brought (the guys) more together. We never talked to each other before," Klicpera said. "Soccer makes (each of) us a better person."

Looking for success

"I need to dig myself out of the hole I'm in and try to get on level ground," said Jeremy Sebek, 24, a team member who came to Aurora from Sandwich after he was kicked out of his mom's house..

The sentiment was shared among the players -- homelessness is temporary. Almost half of the players are living in homes now.

"Hopefully none of these guys will be homeless in July," Holmes said.

Boston Planning Meeting

Street Soccer is coming to Boston! Are you in the Boston area and looking to get involved with Street Soccer USA? If so, please write Christa (christa.thoeresz@gmail.com) or Caeli (csrubens@gmail.com) and let them know! An initial program meeting will be held in Boston in the upcoming weeks and we'd love to have you there!

Thank you Sheriff

Kevin Carroll Katalyst Coach's Award Winner, Sara Silvennoinen, and her Anna Arbor team organized by Washtenaw County Social Services continue to build bridges, change lives, and kick balls. Check out the playbill for March 29th posted below. Many, many thanks to the County Sheriff's office and to the leadership at Washtenaw County Social Services. Improved relations between people on the street and law enforcement has already been documented since the two groups started playing together a couple months ago. Thanks to Sara and her team for innovating and once again leading the way!

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office
Vs.
Washtenaw County Street Soccer Team (S.S. PORT)
Street Soccer Project Outreach Team

Sunday March 29, 2009
12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Wideworld Sports Center
2140 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48103


Washtenaw County Sheriff employees will be playing the local homeless soccer team (S.S. PORT); participation has been shown to help the homeless connect their players with housing, mental health and/or substance abuse treatment, jail diversion service, community resources, socialization, and a greater sense of motivation ending in a higher degree of self-esteem.

Fort Worth Street Soccer Effort Recognized

Please Read this exerpt from a thoughtful article by DAVID CASSTEVENS in the Star Telegram about the good people in Fort Worth and their work. Congrats Team!!

"The right direction

Typically, nine to 12 men attend the two-hour workouts. Some are more reliable — and trustworthy — than others. One player missed a recent practice because he had reportedly stolen $200 and was in hiding. Wilson wants the others to understand how the wrongful action of one person affects the team.

"I’m not expecting these guys to sing in the choir," he says. "But they need to set some goals, which we help them do. They need to make an effort to do better than they did yesterday."

Two men grew up with both parents in prison. One was adopted at age 5 and then sexually and physically abused. The courts placed him in a foster home. He has turned to the team’s directors for guidance, stability and a sense of security he has never known.

Mark, 35, is already headed in the right direction. Living on his own since he was 13, he has moved from the Presbyterian Night Shelter into an apartment complex and works full time at Patriot House, the night shelter’s home for veterans. His long-time dream is to join the Navy.

"I haven’t missed one practice," he says proudly.

Bryan, 24, found himself on the streets seven months ago after he got into a fight with his stepfather. He left home at 15 and told Gray — "Miss Karla" — that he spent two years at a juvenile detention facility after committing an assault. He said he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder but doesn’t take medication.

"I love soccer," Bryan says, beaming. "It helps me get rid of stress. It don’t matter if we win or lose every game. I’m committed to the team."

After Gray counseled him, she wrote down two assignments and placed the folded slip of paper into Bryan’s hand.

"You do these before the next practice, OK?" she said.

Bryan promised to obtain a copy of his birth certificate and get meds at John Peter Smith Hospital.

Spreading the word

Before the homeless men are allowed to compete — they will play an area team Saturday at the practice field one block west of the Presbyterian Night Shelter — each must open a savings account and deposit an agreed-upon sum every month. Gray and Wilson also request that they volunteer at the shelter. In the future, players will be asked to share their stories at churches, schools and civic-group meetings.

As word spreads on the street, Wilson hopes more people will join.

Participation is more unpredictable than the weather.

Recently, a young man from Nigeria appeared at the practice field and stepped off his bicycle.

"What is going on here?" he asked in a clipped accent.

"We’re playing soccer," Gray replied with a welcoming smile. "What’s your name?"

"James."

"Hi, James, I’m Karla." She nodded toward the field. "Wanna play?"

The invitation appeared to take him by surprise.

"Are you sure you want me to play?"

"Of course."

James threw back his head, turning his wide grin to the heavens.

"Glory be to God!" he cried.

James happily joined the group of black, Anglo and Hispanic men as they practiced foot drills and kicked the ball into a goal fashioned from plastic pipe and volleyball netting.

Like the World Cup

On the morning of their first game, the coach and directors had no idea how many players would keep their word and meet for the trip to Austin.

Four arrived at the practice field. Then, five others showed up.

They loaded into two vehicles and headed south. A member of Robbins’ church donated $200 to cover expenses for the daylong adventure. In Austin, they ate hamburgers for lunch and then went on a field trip.

"Do you want to put on your jerseys?" Gray asked.

Everyone did. Dressed in matching red and white, the players posed for a group photo and walked wide-eyed around the University of Texas. Most had never set foot on a college campus.

At that moment, this loose bunch of homeless men felt like — and became — a team, the North Texas Stars.

In street soccer, four players on each side compete on a hard surface about the size of a basketball court. The Stars played three games in a church gymnasium against what, for now, is the only other homeless team in Texas. The Stars won all three.

"Some guys were about to pass out," Robbins recalled, smiling at their competitiveness and effort. "They played like this was for the World Cup."

It was after midnight when the team arrived home, tired and happy. Mark was dropped off at his apartment. Others got out at the shelter, where row after row of people lay asleep beneath blankets on the concrete. Three Hispanic players asked to be taken to another location.

The coach thought guiltily about the warmth and comfort of his own bed as the men nodded good night and headed off, on foot, silently disappearing into the night."

--writenn by DAVID CASSTEVENS of the Fort Worth Star Telegram

Don't Mess with Texas

Street Soccer Austin battled the visiting squad from Fort Worth in the first ever meeting between the two Texas Street Soccer programs. In Fort Worth Carla and Warren have added a love of soccer to their love of people. Carla is among other things a barrel racer on horseback, Warren, a retired police officers. Their players a mixture of immigrants and young men living on the street. The Fort Worth team emphasizes community, goal setting, and the importance of a spiritual life.

Tad Christie, the national team star from Sabelyn Pussman's Austin team was absent from the contest. Tad entered beautician school which he hopes will supplement his income as a street soccer star--or vice versa! In all seriousness Tad is doing great and really has entered beautician school.

Coach Craig combined with Sabelyn and a group of new recruits from the ARCH in Austin to give the Fort Worth team a good game, but in the end the visitors left with bragging rights. While Austin was calling for a rematch, Fort Worth sent a message to the other teams around the US---C U N DC!

New York, New York

The picture above includes the majority of participants in last night's Street Soccer NYC practice. The most impressive thing about these smiles is that I took the photo after practice, immediately following a suicide sprint. One player, Willy, said it was the first time he had run in three years!

The practice took place in the gym at HELP USA's Supportive employment center on Ward's Island. Three players, not counting Patti who showed up late, Omar, Jessica, and Calvin, participated from the SEC. The other seven players came over with staff member Greg Brockington from HELP USA's Next Step program. They included Rolando, Abraham, Willy, Albert, Jose, Woods, and Donald.

Volunteers, coaches Chris Murray, Tyler Brown and I led us in a warm up and game of head catch to start practice off. Then we had a brief word with the team to explain the program's intention: Street Soccer NYC is about doing something positive with your free time, it's about building an inclusive community focused on the future. As membership builds we will join a local league to compete in. This summer we will create the New York team that travels to the Street Soccer USA Cup in Washington, D.C. Once you come to five practices, you will sit down with the coaches to set 3, 6, and 12 month goals for yourself. The coaches and volunteers will go through the same process. Most of the work rests with you, but knowing what you want to achieve we will work with you to help you achieve it.

With that as the preface, we began to play. Abraham who was shooting baskets with his feet last week, to no one's surprise was a clear standout. Calvin from the SEC on the other hand, kept very low key until the games began and before we knew it he was leading all scorers with 4 goals.

We look forward to being in touch as the story of the team unfolds and if you are not already a member join the HELP USA Facebook page to follow news on Street Soccer NYC.

Next practice is Tuesday at 8:30pm. As we build membership, volunteers, and find alternative times, we will increase practices.

Look HOOS Playing Soccer!

Trigg Brown, pictured in the center in orange, together with Garret Trent, a fellow University of Virginia undergrad, have partnered with HOPE, a day shelter for the homeless in Charlottesville, VA run by Josh Bare. Their first volunteer was player from the UVA men's soccer team! Walker Redd was the star of the first practice and the first player to join the squad, pictured 2nd from center.

Both Street Soccer USA and the Hoos were selected as participants in the Clinton Global Initiative University in Austin, Texas. More on that coming up!

FRONT PAGE NEWS!: Chicago Tribunes profiles Chicago squad--photos by Scott Strazzante

Link to the front page story from the story of Jason Holme's team at Hesed House homeless shelter in Chicago.

Link here for a selection of Scott Strazzante photos from the Chicago Tribune online.

A special thanks to

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Kenneth Cole, Maria Cuomo-Cole, Representatives Nita Lowey and Ed Mackey, Jose Garcia and Michael Kosmides of Teatro Goldoni, Ed Foster Simeon, president of the US Soccer Foundation, Frank from the DC Street Soccer Team, Rick Allen and Jack Davies, producers of Kicking It, Susan Koch, director of Kicking It, Ben Olson and Clyde Simms of DC United, Lawrence Cann, Street Soccer Chief, and Mark Ein, founder and owner of the Washington Kastles among many others who came out to support Street Soccer USA and kick-off the countdown to this Summer's Street Soccer USA Cup, July 30-August 2nd in Washington DC.
http://www.dcexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/YeasandNays/Cole_gets_a_Reaction_in_DC_0129.html

US Soccer Foundation/Eurosport Break World Record!

As a way to raise awareness about its Passback Program (an initiative to collect new and gently used soccer equipment and distribute it to those in need) and give children in economically disadvantaged areas access to proper soccer equipment, the U.S. Soccer Foundation broke the World Record for Longest Chain of Shoes at the 2009 NSCAA Convention held in St. Louis, MO on January 14 – 18 -- stringing together 11,904 shoes.

The shoes were on display at the America's Center Convention Complex on January 15 - 17 where volunteers tied together all of the donated cleats. At the end of the weekend, all of the shoes and cleats were distributed to members of the Foundation’s Urban Soccer Collaborative (www.ussoccerfoundation.org/urbansoccer) and to local St. Louis organizations in need.

A ceremony was held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, January 17th at the Convention Center to tie the last 5 pairs of cleats and to celebrate the breaking of the World Record. The following representatives had the honor of tying the last pairs of cleats:

Lawrence Cann, Passback Recipient, Street Soccer USA
Alex Kehm, Passback Star
Sarah Pickens, Passback Program, U.S. Soccer Foundation
Durward Williams (Passback Program, Eurosport)
Rudy Zimmermann (NSCAA)

The Foundation received support from Eurosport, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and major athletic apparel companies to collect shoes and soccer cleats to break the previous record of 10,500. Passback Stars (individuals who collect and distribute soccer equipment within their local community) and youth soccer clubs also set up collections of their own to join the effort.

“Through this effort our Passback Stars and supporters can have fun while also leaving a positive footprint in St. Louis by giving local children the proper equipment they need to play soccer.” said Sarah Pickens, Community Outreach and Development Coordinator of the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

Ways to get involved:
1) Donate your shoes.
Box up and send all shoes to the following address:
Eurosport
Attn: Steve Fear
431 US HWY 70-A East
Hillsborough, NC 27278
**Please note (on the outside of the boxes) the number of cleats that are within each box.

2) Visit ussoccerfoundation.org/worldrecord to donate $10 to buy a pair of shoes for a child in need.

3) Spread the word! Join our Facebook Group at: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/108323.

The text below comes from Rob Cann who leads Street Soccer 945 out of the Urban Ministry Center, the nations first soccer program for the homeless. In it's fifth year, SS945 has expanded to two years and going strong. Rob also co-coached the national team last year. Hoover, whose poem is featured below, is at the center of the team shot above surrounded by his teammates.

Home Field Advantage

The harsh realities of winter are here in Charlotte with the first cold front of the new year setting firmly in earlier this week. Weather forecasts predicted that overnight lows on Thursday night would be in the teens and the Urban Ministry Center prepared to activate its cold weather policy. The temperature indeed dropped as expected Thursday afternoon and the line for Room in the Inn, a program where local churches host our homeless neighbors each night of the winter season, began to grow and grow. Sleeping on the sidewalk outside the center gates was not an option for even the roughest of sleepers.

As I looked out the window from my office and saw the mass of people lined up outside braving the weather and hoping to get a bed with Room in the Inn, I couldn’t help but be astonished as I heard chanting in the office next to me and turned to see 13 anxious soccer players tucking their jerseys in and beginning to loosen up for a critical pair of outdoor league matches at 8pm and 9pm. The weather was the last thing on their mind and as Hoover flowed out the lines to the new song he wrote,

Its cold outside and I have nowhere to run to
Gotta make a fire in the woods and pray it don’t burn you
As a young kid I did things I wont supposed to
Wrong turn here and there, I made a wrong move

Its cold outside and I have nowhere to run to
Gotta make a fire in the woods and pray it don’t burn you


I sadly felt confident that tonight we had home field advantage because our team is all too familiar with being outside during this time of year. Everyone who said they were going to be there tonight was present and the three week layoff from games over the holiday had us hungry for action.

Tonights team was a mix of old and new faces and since we had been rained out the week before and the holiday and new field construction postponed our games before that we knew going into the game that positioning and communication were going to be the keys.
The game marked the return of Osman Mohammed, a 40 year old Sudanese native that since helping Street Soccer 945 build our Art Park court in 2007, spent much of 2008 in Alabama defending his right to stay in America even though his work permit was out of date. He has been granted legal status here and is waiting on his paperwork to come through in the mail and is meanwhile staying in the Charlotte Emergency Winter Shelter. Also to with tonights team was Pablo, a member of Street Soccer 945 at this years Street Soccer USA Cup. Pablo has been working steadily until he separated his shoulder on the job. He has filed for workman compensation, but is nervous that now he is healthy that he won’t be able to get his position back due to the slowing down of construction work in the city. The last person to note that was with us tonight is Kimtoya Moore. Kim has just aged out of foster care and is on the street. She met 2005 World Cup Team Member and now assistant art director Ray-Ray and he encouraged her to play with the team while she sorted out what she was going to do next. She said that Ray gave her the friendship and positive encouragement that she needed to come out of her shell and play with the team and to seek the help she needs to get into housing and back into school. These types of relationships formed are what being on a team is about and proves importance of the mentorship role that graduates of the program can play in engaging new players. Another job well done by Ray. The rest of the team was rounded out with volunteer coach Curtis, Kerry, Capone, Devin, Jihad, Elmer, Toney, Ray, Hoover, volunteer Chris Goodnight, Homeless World Cup keeper Tim Cummins, and coach Rob.

The first game was tight and a lapse at the end of the first half where we lost positioning led us to giving up 3 goals and be down 3 scores to 1. We were able to get one back when coach Rob inserted himself in the game, but minutes later a 4th goals was conceded on a defensive lapse that left Curtis and Tim to defend 4 of our opponents. Elmer Nunez was the star of game one slicing through opponents and setting up Toney Kelley on several opportunities that just missed. A determined Elmer would not be denied as he deposited 2 late goals to give SS-945 a well earned tie.

The coaches reinforced communication and tighter passing as keys to game number 2, but before we could get any further the second game was being whistled to start. We had an army of substitutions and everyone was still eager to play. The team came out much sharper in the second came spreading the field and Osman playing in the middle of the park was a key in the first half, playing one and two touch, receiving passes from the backs and spreading the ball wide to our forwards Toney and Elmer. We took an early 2 goal lead and kept our defensive integrity with Tim being vocal for everyone to mark up and calling out names and numbers. Simple quick passes continued to be our method, and then the flood gates opened as Toney, who initially like Elmer was taking his defenders on one-on-one, slotted a pass to a wide open Elmer who smashed our 4th goal into the back of the net. We walked off in joy to a 7-5 victory after conceding two late goals as new players got more game time experience in the waning moments.

Street Soccer 945 is now sitting in a tie for 4th place in our league of 11 teams.

A big thanks to Brixx Pizza for supporting our players with food after all our games. You guys are awesome!