Philadelphia Community Empowerment Through Soccer

WE BELIEVE IN COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SOCCER. OUR MISSION IS TO WORK WITH KENSINGTON AREA YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO PROVIDE POSITIVE, HEALTHY, AND ENJOYABLE YOUTH SOCCER ACTIVITIES WHILE BUILDING TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY.

TEEN AND YOUNG ADULT SOCCER PROGRAMS: OUR TEEN AND YOUNG ADULT SOCCER TEAMS GIVE OLDER TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS A CHANCE TO CONTINUE PLAYING SOCCER WITH OUR ORGANIZATION. THIS IS AN AGE GROUP THAT IS ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO VIOLENCE AND MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS EMPHASIZE ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE, ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFIT RESOURCES, AND OUTREACH TO PARTICIPANTS WHO SEEM TO BE STRUGGLING. IN ADDITION, MANY YOUNG PEOPLE THIS AGE DON'T ANY LONGER PARTICIPATE IN HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE TEAMS, SO WE GIVE THEM A WAY TO CONTINUE PLAYING SOCCER IN A POSITIVE, HEALTHY, AFFIRMING SETTING.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS: OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM COMES TO CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL SETTING TO OFFER THEM INTRODUCTORY SOCCER. THE PROGRAM HAS AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE AND GOOD NUTRITION. ALSO, WE PUT AN EMPHASIS ON TEAMWORK AND COOPERATION AS WELL AS INFORMAL MENTORING. THE PROGRAM SERVES CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 14. WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS ANNUALLY IN SEVERAL SCHOOLS; IT IS FREE OF COST TO PARTICIPANTS. THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS ALSO OFFER SATURDAY SESSIONS IN OUR OUTDOOR FALL AND SPRING RECREATIONS PROGRAM, SO THE PLAYERS GET A CHANCE TO MEET AND PLAY WITH CHILDREN FROM OTHER SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ALSO OFFER CHILDREN A CHANCE TO JOIN COMPETITIVE SOCCER TEAMS IF THEY WANT TO COMMIT TO LEARNING AND PLAYING AT A HIGHER LEVEL. MANY AFTER SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS END UP JOINING OUR RECREATIONAL AND COMPETITIVE TEAMS.

YOUTH TRAVEL SOCCER: OUR COMPETITIVE SOCCER PROGRAM FOR YOUNGER PLAYERS UNDER AGE 14 IS OFFERED AT A VERY LOW COST OR NO COST TO CHILDREN IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS. COMPETITIVE SOCCER GIVES CHILDREN A CHANCE TO PLAY AT A HIGHER SKILL LEVEL. THE COST OF MOST COMPETITIVE SOCCER PROGRAMS IS COST PROHIBITIVE FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN. WE SUBSIDIZE THE COST OF TEAMS SO MONEY IS NOT A BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION. COMPETITIVE SOCCER GIVES CHILDREN A CHANCE TO LEARN AND PRACTICE TEAMWORK, LEARN HIGHER LEVEL SOCCER SKILLS, AND SET AND ACHIEVE CHALLENGING GOALS FOR THEMSELVES. MANY PLAYERS GO ON TO PLAY COMPETITIVE SOCCER FOR YEARS AND MANY END UP COACHING WITH THE ORGANIZATION WHEN THEY BECOME TEENS. WE AVERAGE ABOUT 200 PLAYERS ON COMPETITIVE TEAMS ANNUALLY, MANY PLAYING FOR MORE THAN ONE SEASON.