Breaking Down Barriers
StationSoccer celebrated its two year anniversary on October 27th! Since the grand opening of Five Points in 2016 StationSoccer has seen thousands of visitors both players and spectators from across the world. It has also been covered by multiple media outlets and won local, national and global awards for soccer, design and innovation.
StationSoccer celebrated its two year anniversary on October 27th! Since the grand opening of Five Points in 2016 StationSoccer has seen thousands of visitors both players and spectators from across the world. It has also been covered by multiple media outlets and won local, national and global awards for soccer, design and innovation.
Looking forward Soccer in the Streets is in planning mode, having just opened the newest StationSoccer location at West End MARTA station and the early success of that location we hear from three staff members about the project and program so far and what we can look forward to.
From the youth pick up side of StationSoccer, Coach Joel Apudo, has seen the session develop overtime. At the beginning of 2016 youth pick up averaged at six kids. In 2017, the league jumped to 15 kids a session. And this year the average number has risen to 35 kids at pick up sessions.
As Apudo has coached a majority of these sessions he has heard many parents compliment the program.
“As my kids play at the StationSoccer locations it has helped my kids in school,” said a StationSoccer parent. “They have gotten better grades by being focused, been more social with other kids, and I have seen my kids move from up the recreational team to the academy team.”
The Station fields recently kicked off its 8th season of public adult leagues. In the new Fall 2018 season with a record of 24 teams in a single season. StationSoccer has also hosted leagues for diverse groups including: the City of Atlanta, MARTA, local downtown businesses, restaurants, and Morehouse University Intramural’s.
StationSoccer Manager, Fernando Guerena, expresses his enthusiasm about the two year anniversary.
"Since opening the Station Soccer - Five Points facility in October 2016, over 2,000 adult players have come out to play and support Atlanta's children,” said Guerena. “These players have raised over $100,000 for Soccer in the Streets programming, and this season's leagues at the newly opened West End facility have 50% more teams than any prior season."
Sanjay Patel recently took on the role of Director of Strategic Projects at Soccer in the Streets and has been working on the the StationSoccer project since 2014 when he had originally had the idea of the concept of StationSoccer. Sanjay provides some thoughts on the past few years and potential of the project.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far, much credit to our staff and all the partners that have made this project possible,” said Patel. “Now as we grow the league of stations and provide more access to communities that deserve programs that can help cultivate and enrich lives with employability tools and resources it will only benefit youth that we serve. Through innovation and collaborative partnerships on and off the field we will change lives along the way.”
Coaches Joel Apudo and Ehlahd Israel Honored with the Community Champion Award and Napolitano Award, respectively, at 2018 Black Tie Gala
On October 7th, Soccer in the Streets presented the Community Champion Award and Napolitano Award at end of year gala, Black Tie 2018 soccer game to Joel Apudo and Ehlahd Israel. These two award-winning leaders are dedicated to building and teaching the beautiful game. These dedicated leaders work to empower the lives of the youth in the program and in the metro Atlanta communities they serve.
On October 7th, Soccer in the Streets presented the Community Champion Award and Napolitano Award at end of year gala, Black Tie 2018 soccer game to Joel Apudo and Ehlahd Israel. These two award-winning leaders are dedicated to building and teaching the beautiful game. They work to empower the lives of the youth in the program and in the metro Atlanta communities they serve.
A Community Champion recipient is a humble leader dedicated to the children, their community and growing the game of soccer. Israel, a West End resident and local barber, learned about Soccer in the Streets and connected a group of 10-15 kids in 2017 from the West End community to play at the new StationSoccer- Five Points field.
With collaboration from Community Program Manager Toussaint McClure, together they established a program that became home of Brown Middle School. The program grew organically to about 80 kids throughout 2018 until the StationSoccer- West End flourished in September 2018.
“Ehlahd has been the missing piece in West End that we needed for Soccer in the Streets,” said McClure. “He understands the organization's motto and how we can better the lives of these youth players through soccer.”
StationSoccer has rapidly grown over the past two years. As a Soccer in the Streets coach and a new community engagement manager, Joel Apudo has become a role model for the local youth players. The Napolitano Award recipient shows embodiment of leadership, service and enrichment around the beautiful game and Apudo has exemplified that.
Program Director Lauren Glancy, brought Apudo on board with Soccer in the Streets in 2016 to coach in the APS Positive Choice program. Ever since then, many of the athletes lives have changed for the better.
“It was clear from the beginning that Joel had a gift for connecting with youth on a whole other level,” said Glancy. “When StationSoccer started in 2016, it was obvious who needed to be the head coach. His ability to lead comes natural and the positive impact he has had on the youth is priceless.”
Laureus Sport For Good Day
The Westside community of Atlanta came together for the “Day of Sport” on September 29th held at the Home Depot Backyard at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The event was staged by the Laureus USA Foundation a nonprofit organization that shares the vision of sport as a force for positive change. Hundreds of kids from the Westside participated in a wide variety of sporting activities from lacrosse to golf and of course soccer.
The Westside community of Atlanta came together for the “Day of Sport” on September 29th held at the Home Depot Backyard at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The event was staged by the Laureus USA Foundation a nonprofit organization that shares the vision of sport as a force for positive change. Hundreds of kids from the Westside participated in a wide variety of sporting activities from lacrosse to golf and of course soccer.
Overseeing the soccer activities was the staff of Soccer in the Streets. School Program Manager, Garrick Dawson and Community Program Manager, Tony Carter spent the day teaching the young athletes a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.
“We appreciate everything that Laureus has done for our organization,” said Dawson. “Laureus has been involved with our programing for a year and a half and we are seeing the benefit of their involvement with an exponential growth in leadership development, which is one of the key pillars of our programming.”
The Westside of Atlanta continues to be a key area for Soccer in the Streets as there are programs operating in Vine City, Castleberry Hill, and the West End. The programs continue to flourish thanks to the generous funding from the Arthur M. Black Foundation.
“The goal for Soccer in the Streets and Laureus USA is continuing the collaboration and partnership to grow the sport,” said Julia M. Lankford, Atlanta Program Officer for Laureus. “We want to continue to support Soccer in the Streets in the Westside communities.”
Laureus USA believes that sport has the power to change the world, as proclaimed by their founding patron Nelson Mandela. They are a grant-making, nonprofit organization that supports the growth and deepens the impact of 50 sport and youth development organizations nationwide.
Through Sport for Good Cities initiative, they unite communities to challenge the inequities facing underserved youth through the power of sport.Their local investments in cities improve the lives of more than 350,000 kids annually. Laureus USA is a proud member of the global Laureus network, which includes nine national Laureus Sport for Good Foundations, the Laureus World Sport Academy, and the Laureus World Sports Awards.
To learn more about Laureus USA; https://bit.ly/2Ab9X76
