Houston Dynamo forward Andrew Wenger kicked off his new First Pass Initiative at The FORGE on Wednesday afternoon along with teammates Jalil Anibaba, Joe Holland, Dylan Remick, and Melissa Henderson of the Houston Dash.
The First Pass Initiative is a joint program between The FORGE for Families and Dynamo Charities to teach teamwork and accountability through soccer. Dynamo and Dash players and coaches will teach students the fundamentals of soccer and share their professional experiences on the field and in the classroom while meeting the families who reside in the Third Ward.
"Our goal is to introduce soccer to students in the FORGE's after-school program, and also reinforce values and teamwork that extend off the field," Wenger said after the first session on Wednesday night. "It is a pretty exciting initiative because it involves both Dynamo and Dash players and personnel from the front office, making it a true group effort. We even had the grounds crew out – they turned a forgotten lot into a five-a-side field.
FORGE students will work through a four-week program that focuses on personal and team accountability, teamwork, and commitment. Each week will include one day of targeted soccer skills and values that will be reinforced the following day in a classroom setting. The program culminates with students attending a Dynamo game with a parent at BBVA Compass Stadium.
"It was amazing to see the enthusiasm of the students as they watched the Dynamo hype videos, introduced themselves to us and then got their first skills workshop from our talented coaches," Wenger said. "The session made me proud to be part of a great team."
