COVID-19 UPDATES

UPDATE: 10/15/2020

Soccer in the Streets Community,

Throughout the COVID crisis, we have been evaluating when we feel it is safe to start playing again.  This involves monitoring the opinions of key health organizations, such as the CDC and WHO, and the governing soccer bodies.  We now feel it is appropriate for us to begin limited return to play with both our youth and adult programs with COVID safety precautions put in place. 

Youth programs have returned to play in a limited capacity at limited locations. We are prioritizing the safety of our kids and their families and aim to provide a healthy activity during this tough period. We are adhering to health experts’ guidelines along with local policies. We have evaluated locations to identify the areas that will allow us to safely control the environment. We are starting with older teams in a limited ratio during this initial phase and will add younger groups as conditions permit.

Return To Play Locations:

Southside: College Park and Fairburn - OPEN 

Westside: West End and Vine City -OPEN

Eastside: Clarkston - OPEN

Northside: Virtual Training - Virtual Training & In Person training OPEN SOON

To learn more about our youth programs and to sign up follow the link here .

If you have any questions contact: info@soccerstreets.org

We have also decided to move forward with our adult leagues and pickup at our StationSoccer locations. Leagues are designed so players/ teams are not in the same area and they are able to maintain social distance when off the field 6ft apart. Players are required to wear a mask when not playing. Pickup sessions have strict capacity limits and no spectators are allowed for either league games or pickup sessions. .

To learn more about our StationSoccer- Adult Leagues and safety precautions follow the link here .

If you have any questions contact StationSoccer Manager, Fernando Guerena, fernando@soccerstreets.org

This is important to our organization to stay safe and mindful of our community while playing the beautiful game of soccer as we continue to adhere to strict guidelines.

Sincerely,

Executive Director, Phil Hill

2020 RWJF Sports Award

2020 RWJF Sports Award Winners Announced: AGE UP, Border Youth Tennis Exchange, Running Medicine, Soccer in the Streets & the United States Association of Blind Athletes 

AGE UP, Border Youth Tennis Exchange, Running Medicine, Soccer in the Streets, and the United States Association of Blind Athletes have been selected as 2020 winners of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Sports Award. The winners will receive a $25,000 cash award and will be honored at a virtual ceremony on October 4 at 8:00 pm airing live on the RWJF Facebook page. 

This award recognizes and honors those in the sport who display an innovative and collaborative approach to making their communities a healthier place to live. This includes sports teams, athletes, and community-based organizations that use sports as a platform to address many of the root causes that influence health and health equity. 

Past winners include the Chattanooga Football Club, Chicago Fire Foundation, Doc Wayne, Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Figure Skating in Harlem, InnerCity Weightlifting, MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, MLSE Foundation, PeacePlayers International, San Francisco Giants Community Fund, Soccer Without Borders, The Moyer Foundation, The Sanneh Foundation, Tony Hawk Foundation, and the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy. 

“I'm inspired by this year's winners who show us the power of sports to connect us and make us healthier, no matter our race, gender, abilities, or economic background,” said Julie Morita, RWJF Executive Vice President. “Playing sports unites people, and that's a wonderful vision for a healthier, more just, more equitable world for everyone.” 

Below are the winners: 

All Girl Everything Ultimate Program (AGE UP) is engaging South Seattle youth of color through their love of ultimate frisbee and their commitment to equity and social justice. 

"AGE UP is honored to become part of such an amazing community of RWJF awardees, present, and past. We are excited to learn from and connect with the brilliance represented here, as we all continue the fight to build a better and more just world through sports. Thank you, RWJF, for your support of this essential work for so many years!" --Hana Kawai, Co-Director, AGE UP 

Border Youth Tennis Exchange (BYTE) is a binational youth development organization that provides athletic and tech-based academic instruction to children on both sides of the US/Mexico border. In this way, BYTE services support resilient cross-border communities and promote a positive appreciation for the border region. 

"BYTE is honored to have been selected as an RWJF Sports Award winner and to be recognized out of so many amazing and impactful organizations. It gives us confidence that our cross-border work with children and families is important, timely, and poised to expand its reach. We're grateful to RWJF for continuing to support grassroots community efforts during this difficult time." -Charlie Cutler, BYTE Founder & Executive Director 

Running Medicine offers family-oriented walking and running programs for Native-Americans in Albuquerque creating a culture of health that is available to all people regardless of ability, age, fitness level or ability to pay. 

“We are excited to receive this RWJF Sports Award, and we look forward to the community that will be built among the award recipients over the months and years to come.” --Dr. Anthony Fleg, Director, Running Medicine 

Soccer in the Streets has reframed health equity around transit hubs in the inner city by repurposing unused land in the heart of Atlanta to be more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. 

“Soccer in the Streets and our StationSoccer partners are both humbled and honored for this prestigious recognition. History tells us the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has impacted many communities - winning this year's RWJF Sports Award means we are making positive strides in the health, equity, and social justice space, we are very proud to accept this award.” --Sanjay Patel, Director of Strategic Projects, Soccer in the Streets 

The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) uses adaptive sports to assist and support individuals who are blind and visually impaired. 

"Winning the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Sports Award is an affirmation that the United States Association of Blind Athletes is building a culture of health and wellness for blind and visually impaired Americans. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has made a clear connection between health and sports, and receiving this award from a foundation dedicated to health-related outcomes solidifies our intent of influencing people to realize the critical role physical activity plays in one’s health."  --Molly Quinn, CEO, USABA.

For more information on the award, visit www.rwjf.org/sportsaward 

Soccer in the Streets Parent and Supporter Joins The Board

Soccer in the Streets (SITS) has an influential group of fifteen board members that help push the organization forward to impact youth in Atlanta. This year we added two more board members and we are excited for our supporters to learn more about them. Today we highlight Nyema Johnson. A mother, and teacher, Mrs. Johnson has been a SITS supporter for nine years in various capacities and her five children have participated and learned first hand from the program in the Southside.

As an organization, we pride ourselves on being more than just a soccer club but a safe space and a type of community for others to join. 

Board Member, Nyema Johnson

“I want to become a board member because I am more aware of the daily blessings afforded by God to be able to benefit from something and pass on the benefits. Even though this is one of the busiest times in my life, my faith in God has allowed me to see that it is not enough to just receive but to give is even greater,” said Mrs. Johnson “All in all, my family and I have benefited tremendously from SITS and it is my privilege to serve and reciprocate that service.”

Mr. Johnson was born in Philadelphia, PA, and moved to the south and attended Tuskegee Unversity. She later moved to Atlanta and a friend told her about SITS. She and her husband attended practice and later met Jill Robbins who at the time was and still is an influential part of the organization. Nine years later, they are still supporting the organization.

There were so many reasons why Mrs. Johnson wanted her children to be a part of the organization. She felt that it was more than just a soccer club.

The Kids of the Johnson Family

“My children have developed in other areas as well. I distinctly remember days when one of my children needed to finish an assignment and I would let Jill know that they won’t be practicing because they needed to finish their assignment before being able to practice,” said Mrs. Johnson. “Unquestionably, she supported us and encouraged them to make school a priority. I rarely hear of organizations that actually do this, even if they say, “Your education is important.”

As part of the organization, Zuriel and Zoey Johnson joined the referee apprenticeship program. They knew they were starting off young but that didn’t stop them from giving it a shot.

“Again, Jill granted Zoey (16) and Zuriel (17) their first “real” jobs as Apprentice Referees. Even though they were pretty young she saw their potential and worked alongside them for many years to help them advance in their skills as referees,” said Mrs. Johnson. “She is doing the same for Zion (12). Additionally, Southside Program Manager, Ulric Alsobrook has done the same as far as allowing Zuriel and Zoey to sharpen their skills as coaches. This also gives them a sense of responsibility to give back to the community as well.”

As an organization we know the off the fieldwork is extremely important as the youth players can learn from the program managers. The importance of this is that we are not only a soccer club but a community.

Zion Johnson , SITS referee apprentice

“It has been a joy to see more families join and extend their gratitude for the organization. I think recently, I have been more encouraged by how SITS handled the “off the field” interactions with the players and their families,” said Mrs. Johnson “From providing physical resources to providing virtual assignments at home, I have seen a true effort to act on the behalf of the families.”

She also commented - “Even more, I’ve had the privilege of moderating a couple of forums directly dealing with the injustice of African Americans, racism and police brutality. Additionally, per the student’s and parents’ suggestions, we were able to do a couple more forums highlighting “African American/Black Excellence.” These have been successful and attended well. Last, we are in the process of developing a homework helpline for any parents and students that may need additional support during these unprecedented times. Again, SITS is more than a soccer club and I am thankful that we have had the privilege to experience nine years of continued growth.”

We are thankful to have Mrs. Johnson join the board to give her perspective as a Soccer in the Streets parent. She will be a key asset as she is part of the Southside community. And she is also able to be knowledgeable about the program’s outcomes. Over the past months during the pandemic, Mrs. Johnson has even put in extra effort and worked with the southside program on the virtual learning forums. 

“I have spent many hours with parents and players. I am a firm believer that no one person is enough to help any organization reach its fullest potential. It takes a collection of diverse voices. I personally would love to lend my voice and skills to the organization,” said Mrs. Johnson “My presence and proximity is a way that I can continue to contribute to the organization to the best of my ability, given the unusual circumstances. Overall, I want to be utilized in the best way that’s possible and where there is a true need.”