Bringing Communities Together Around The Country

Ending the Season with a Bang at the Red Hook Street Soccer Courts!

The end of the season celebration was truly a heartwarming event for those participants, supporters and coaches involved at SSUSA NY End of the Season Celebration. Congregating at the SSUSA Mini Pitches in Red Hook, teams from East New York, Bronx, Flatbush Gardens, Sunset Park and Red Hook all joined together to compete in the beautiful game of soccer. The community celebrated players from all age groups, ranging from 7-16, that partake in various programming opportunities provided from SSUSA NY. There was a special excitement in the air that day as families came together to celebrate the larger community in front of them. At Street Soccer USA we understand every community is unique; but when we are able to bring these communities together they all connect under one common goal. We play to discover our own strengths and rise to new levels of success. This notion of “success” was achieved.

First ever SSUSA Sacramento Youth Tournament is a Success!

In North Land Park at Leataata Floyd Elementary school, SSUSA Sacramento hosted its first youth tournament to celebrate the end of our Fall season soccer community clubs and after school programs.

The tournament was designed to celebrate and reward the youth for their commitment, provide them with a soccer tournament experience, and a space for fun and friendly competition. The Street Soccer USA soccer clubs/neighborhoods that were represented were:

Alder Grove Community Club (Muir Park)
Marina Vista Community Club (Seavey Circle)
Leataata Floyd Elementary after school club
Oak Ridge Elementary after school club
Bret Harte Elementary after school club

This event gave the youth a chance to put their soccer skills to work, experience what it is like to compete in a tournament, represent their neighborhoods, demonstrate sportsmanship and have fun together as individuals and as a team.

This event also provided a chance for parents and families to join and watch their kids play and be supportive. Overall, we had over 100 people at the event ,10 youth teams made up of 70+ kids, and 30 games in a 4 hr period, and a ton of goals and great saves!

Huge shout out to our volunteers, coaches, partners and sponsors for making this our biggest and most collaborative youth program event in Sacramento thus far!

SSUSA Bay Area Match Days Gain Momentum!

The Bay Area kicked off two events in the Fall 2017 season, that we hope to be a staple in connecting our programs, players and communities. The Street Soccer Match Day hosted at the Street Soccer USA Park on the first Saturday of the month. While a more competitive atmosphere than our Street Soccer Fests and other community events, the emphasis at the Match Days has been put on bringing players together in the spirit of sportsmanship, and self-improvement.

We believe in relationships, and the inherent power they have. Having a deeper relationship with our families and players requires a greater commitment from them. All of the players who have come out have shown that dedication; from players coming on foot, being brought by brothers and sisters, family friends, all the way to families carpooling and driving up from as far as San Jose (an hour and half from the mini pitches)! This may be the genesis of Street Soccer youth leagues comprised of community club teams from the various neighborhoods in the Bay Area. For us this would mean, that the opportunity to play soccer, have access to those formative relationships of a team, a dedicated coach, and growth over time would be available to those who want it, rather than those who can afford it. We see that desire to play for more from our players who show up and hour before the event, to the families that trek across the Bay Area to give their kids more opportunities.

Wrapping up the Season in Style – SSUSA Chicago’s Holiday Tournament

During the holiday break, All of Street soccer Chicago adult and community club teams came out to go head to head against each other and celebrate the holidays! Our south side boys community club team came up on top and our Adult North side team had the most blue cards for fair play and positive attitudes!

Our women’s program end their winter session in 4th place! With a tough schedule our women showed their resiliency and grew each game pushing for a record of 3 wins 4 losses. “Play with heart” resounded in each game, as our attendance due to the weather dwindled with the temperature. Alma Torres lead our team in goals, as Jasmine Alamilla was awarded best goalkeeper for the season. The girls will be restarting another session January 9th and 11th till March.

SSUSA’s First Street Soccer Fest in LA!

In Fall 2017, Street Soccer USA introduced its first program partnership in Los Angeles, launching our union with Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII) in Watts. CII works to eradicate the challenges of poverty for families in Los Angeles. By providing resources such as clinical services, youth development programs, and family support services, they are helping families and youth heal from the trauma of family and community violence. By partnering with Street Soccer USA, both organizations engage with youth to support the development of skills and self-efficacy.

This collaboration was celebrated on December 12 with the first of many Street Soccer Fests in Los Angeles, serving a larger initiative to work in conjunction with families and to engage the community at large. Hosted at Ted Watkins Memorial Park, the Fest echoed the power of cultivating relationships that we so deeply believe in. Despite the partnership being in its early days, we’ve seen a heartwarming response to Street Soccer’s presence from both youth players and their families. As we look to continue unlocking the potential in the community of Watts, this partnership certainly sets the stage for programmatic growth in Los Angeles.

Street Soccer USA News