Outreach: Helping People Through the Game of Soccer

In May 2012, my wife Darcy, and I  traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to work with the International Sports Coalition in Africa, which is directed by Solomon Gacece. A longtime member of the Kenyan Olympic Staff, Solomon is well connected with the Kenya sports community. He has attended the last several Olympic Games and has been involved with Africa's hosting a number international sporting events.  

After teaching courses for U.S. Soccer and the NSCAA here in the United States as well as in Haiti, Bahamas and Venezuela, I was able to work with coaches in Kenya as a part of the Ubabalo eAfrica movement. (This movement started right before South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA Men's World Cup. Click here for more.)

The International Sports Coalition involves over 180 countries around the world and, during the next several years, I have been asked to travel to other member countries as an instructor. I am excited to be a part of this movement to educate coaches throughout the world as it's a long-term passion and goal of mine to help people through the game of soccer. This coming August 2013, I will be returning to Kenya to teach the next level of coaching licensing to over 40 coaches in Nairobi, Kenya.

A bit of history of the Soccer Academy's involvement and support for soccer in Africa... In December 2011, we were able to send some Darlington School Soccer Academy jerseys to Kenya. Attached to this blog, you can see a few pictures of our newest players representing us well.

Over the past few years, I traveled to the NSCAA convention where I have been able to gain support from a number of equipment suppliers for this initiative. In 2012, we secured over 50 large boxes of donated jerseys, balls, cleats and coaching equipment. Through our relationships with Eurosport and Kwik Goal, this year we will be able to take with us to Africa hundreds of items including cleats, balls, jerseys and portable goals. It has continued to amaze me the generosity of the soccer family world wide.   

Furthermore, the International Sports Coalition has met and proposed a 3-5 year plan for bringing over quality instructors to hold coaching courses 1-3 times per year for the next 3-5 years. Our goal is to instruct 75-100 coaches per year all over the continent of Africa. In turn, these coaches will service thousands and thousands of children. It is incredible the impact that sports, in this case soccer, can have on a child's life. Soccer can not only be a life sport, but a sport where foundational character traits can be developed and entrenched for one's entire life.

If you would like to support the August 2013 coaching education trip by donating soccer cleats, balls, or jerseys please contact me.