You Can change the life of a child in a North/Central American orphanage by donating your no longer useful soccer cleats and shin guards to Sport Supports equipment recycle program. Last year, Pegasus Cup participants helped by donating more than 75 pairs of cleats and 40 pairs of shin guards, all of which found their way to deserving feet in Tijuana orphanages.
Pegasus Cup director Raffi Ruotolo and Sport Support (SS) founder Ronda McEwen have come together to create a program under the non-profit organization, Athletes for Education (AFE) (www.afefoundation.org) called “Kick’s for Life.” This program is designed to work hand-in-hand with another AFE program, “Christian’s Kids,” which unites local schools and students as mentors to orphans in Tijuana, helping with life skills and preparing them for life as an adult.
"Kicks for Life" provides the orphanages and schools with skills clinics, uniforms and gear necessary to create a soccer league that the orphanages would otherwise not be able to afford. This allows the orphans and their mentors the opportunity to grow and bond both on and off the field.
League play began in January of 2010 for more than 100 orphans. Concluding championship games were held in late February with an awards ceremony following. Each child was given a pin and medal for their participation, first and second place teams received trophies and MVP players received Chivas USA hats and t-shirts. Next steps for the soccer program include a clinic for the high school teams and orphanages with AFE’s Charger player Luis Castillo’s, Camp Castillo in April for kids who have improved their citizenship, grades or other qualities as decided by their teachers.
Although "Kicks for Life" and "Christian’s Kids" combined efforts have only been in effect for several months with much work ahead building the model for the programs, evidence of success has been observed. During an initial visit in December of 2008, Samuel, a 13 year old boy who was placed in the orphanage with his two brothers by the Mexican government, donned a swollen and black eye after getting into a fight with another child in the orphanage. When asked during the championship game if he had gotten into any fights lately, his response was, “I haven’t gotten into any fights lately. They (other kids) start to get on my last nerve but then I talk myself out of it. I just don’t want to fight anymore.”
We want to thank you for your part in helping Sport Support and “Kick’s for Life” get their programs off the ground and making a difference the in the lives of others. We are looking forward to creating lasting partnerships and programs throughout 2010 and beyond!
