Team Arsenal Wins Soccer in the Streets' ATL Champions League Event At Atlanta Silverbacks Park on October 23rd
The Eleventh Annual Soccer in the Streets’ ATL Champions League event was held on Saturday, October 23rd at Atlanta Silverbacks Park and Team Arsenal took the Championship on the soccer side of the tournament. The funds raised at this annual tournament help Soccer in the Streets provide sustainable free youth soccer programs that cultivate change, education, and empower youth.
Team Arsenal Wins Soccer in the Streets' ATL Champions League Event At Atlanta Silverbacks Park
$50,000 raised to support sustainable free youth soccer programs in Atlanta
West Ham, ATL Champions League Player, Lauren
The Eleventh Annual Soccer in the Streets’ ATL Champions League event was held on Saturday, October 23rd at Atlanta Silverbacks Park and Team Arsenal took the Championship on the soccer side of the tournament. The funds raised at this annual tournament help Soccer in the Streets provide sustainable free youth soccer programs that cultivate change, education, and empower youth.
This event sees the city's most passionate soccer fans, representing 8 of the most illustrious worldwide soccer teams battle it out for the title both on and off the pitch This year, the event raised over $50,000.
A special thank you to the team sponsors, Brewhouse Cafe, Select Futsal, and State Farm Brian Moscaritolo Agency.
"Soccer in the Streets is helping provide access to soccer, community, and leadership programming in Atlanta," said Erik Nelson, Community Engagement Manager of Soccer in the Streets. "It is a tough year to be fundraising, but it is not hard to imagine that the kids we serve are having an even more tough time and they need our help. Without the efforts from all the players and sponsors at ATL Champions League 2021, supporting these communities wouldn't be possible."
Top Individual Fundraiser, Ben Butler
Leading the way in fundraising for the seventh year was the Liverpool side sponsored by, raising a team total of $18,581. Tottenham came in second with $5,676.
The top fundraiser from the Liverpool side was Ben Butler. He raised $10,700 and was the top fundraiser for the ninth year in a row. And as a team, the Liverpool side has led the fundraising portion of the tournament for the eleventh year.
“The more I or anyone can fundraise and donate only helps more of our kids,” Butler, Soccer in the Streets’ Board Member. “As for giving back to the organization, all I want to encourage is progress and growth for the event and Soccer in Streets.”
Soccer in the Streets' Recipient of the BOOST Grant Award from Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network
Soccer in the Streets was recently awarded funding through the Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Grants Program. The grant is designed to address the learning gap by expanding access to and improving the quality of afterschool and summer learning opportunities - prioritizing students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding for the BOOST program comes from the American Rescue Plan, and the grant program is administered by the Georgia Department of Education in partnership with the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network.
Soccer in the Streets' Recipient of the BOOST Grant Award from Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network
Soccer in the Streets was recently awarded funding through the Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Grants Program. The grant is designed to address the learning gap by expanding access to and improving the quality of afterschool and summer learning opportunities - prioritizing students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding for the BOOST program comes from the American Rescue Plan, and the grant program is administered by the Georgia Department of Education in partnership with the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network.
Soccer in the Streets was selected based on the organization’s strong focus on learning outcomes beyond the sport of soccer. The three-year grant will be used to expand the social and emotional learning curriculum, college, and career readiness offerings and start an academic remediation program. We estimate that the BOOST grant funding will allow us to impact 750 additional children per year over the next three years.
“We are grateful to be a recipient of the BOOST grant!”, said Soccer in the Streets Executive Director, Phil Hill. “It is a crucial support for our efforts to address the whole child, which is especially important given the trauma experienced by so many kids over the last 18 months”.
BOOSTS grants are intended to support the learning acceleration, connectedness, and well-being of Georgia’s students, utilizing a whole-child approach. Soccer in the Streets builds the safe, supportive and engaging environment needed by children. Our programming fosters positive relationships between players that are safe from teasing and bullying while our coaches play a mentoring role in their players’ lives, ensuring that kids feel safe and cared for.
Our Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum is another key component in our whole-child approach. The curriculum helps youth master essential self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills. They master these skills in safe, healthy spaces where they can connect and engage with their friends and supportive coaches- increasing the likelihood of school and future employment success.
BOOST grant funding will also help strengthen our efforts to help players become college and career-ready. Workshops to expose and engage players to college processes and options and lead career fairs with community partners are planned.
Soccer in the Streets was founded on the belief that soccer can play an important role in the development of young people both on and off the field. This grant award recognizes our effort and will allow us to make an even greater impact as we lead youth down the path to become successful leaders in their communities.
“The Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN) offers its congratulations to Soccer in the Streets on being named a BOOST grantee!” says Katie Landes, GSAN Director. “Their out-of-school-time programming is a critical piece of Georgia’s effort to address the learning loss and developmental and social needs of children and youth impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We fully support their efforts to help young people thrive and look forward to the stories of success that are sure to follow!”
To Learn More: https://www.afterschoolga.org/boost/
Annual Black Tie Soccer Game 2021 Raises Over $113,000 for Soccer in the Streets
On Sunday, October. 17th, Soccer in the Streets held its annual Black Tie Soccer Game 2021. Soccer in the Streets’ end of the year gala hosted family and friends. Instead of the standard banquet dinner, the participants dressed in Boots, Bow Ties, and Ballgowns - The Black Tie Soccer Game was a soccer game like no other.
Soccer in the Streets Board Member, Janine Willis
On Sunday, October. 17th, Soccer in the Streets held its annual Black Tie Soccer Game 2021. Soccer in the Streets’ end of the year gala hosted family and friends. Instead of the standard banquet dinner, the participants dressed in Boots, Bow Ties, and Ballgowns - The Black Tie Soccer Game was a soccer game like no other.
Behind the slapstick and fun nature of the Black Tie Soccer Game is the most important and more competitive aspect of this tournament: raising funds to bring soccer to lower-income communities while leveling the playing field for children regardless of socioeconomic status. The tournament helps Soccer in the Streets provide sustainable free youth soccer programs that cultivate change, provide, education and empower youth.
This year, the Black Tie Event raised over $113,000 for Soccer in the Streets. The Top Fundraising Team on event day was the Black Team with $35,790. And the Top Individual Fundraiser, Soccer in the Streets Board Member, Brian O’Neill with $17,396.
“Winning the award to me only means that I helped our kids as much as possible, '' said, Brian O’Neill. “This only happens due to the generous support of friends and family, so it really is not about me at all. We have an incredible mission, and a wonderful team working hard to execute on that mission, and I’m just happy to be able to provide any assistance that I can.
Best Dressed Awards, Diane Hansen and Ben Mckenzie
Also announced were the winners of the Men’s Best Dressed and Women’s Best Dressed, given to Ben McKenzie and Diane Hansen respectively.
As an organization, we are thankful for all the support so our youth players can continue to play the beautiful game. Leading the event, Community Engagement Manager, Erik Nelson stated, “It is sometimes difficult to string together the right combination of words to express just how appreciative I am of the wonderful people that were involved with this year’s Black Tie Soccer Game.”
He also stated- "Each and every player put their all into the fundraising campaign, marching right past our $100,000 goal, and, on top of that, they showed up dressed in their Sunday’s Best with proper, slapstick spirits! Thank you to everyone who was a part of this impactful and memorable event!”
