The Houston Dynamo and the U.S. Soccer Foundation held Soccer for Success day at Patrick Henry Middle School yesterday to kick off the second year of the annual Soccer for Success program.
Soccer for Success offers 3rd – 8th grade students the opportunity to participate in free after school programs. Dynamo midfielder Corey Ashe is the team’s spokesperson for the program.
“It’s good we are a collective group working toward a goal of helping these kids work toward a healthy lifestyle,” Ashe said. “Last year it always brought a smile to my face to see how happy these kids got when they were interacting with myself and interacting with each other and going through the soccer drills. I feel honored and privileged to be a part of that again and I’m glad to see the number of kids who participate keeps increasing.”
The U.S. Soccer Foundation is partnering with Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Houston Independent School District (HISD), and the Dynamo to grow the sport of soccer among at-risk children who live in low-income, underserved Houston communities. The goal of the program is to reach 1,500 HISD children from disadvantaged urban communities.
“We are so proud to be a part of this great program and to celebrate the kick off of Houston’s Soccer for Success program,” marketing and communications manager for the U.S. Soccer Foundation Meredith McClure said.
“When soccer programs are combined with structured after-school activities that emphasize healthy lifestyles, it can help young people become healthier and make positive choices in their lives. Being out here with all of the children reminds us why we do the work we do.”
According to the foundation’s website, Houston is one of four cities to receive the Soccer for Success grant, joining Los Angeles, Calif., Washington D.C., and Chicago, Ill., with plans to expand to New York, N.Y. in 2010.
