Dear Friends,
We hope this email finds you doing very well! With 2011 now well underway, we would like to share some exciting events and developments in SWB from the winter months. Perhaps most significantly, we are very pleased to to announce our new Advisory Board. This amazing group of individuals have already put their diverse skills and knowledge to work. The Advisory Board will play a vital role in the continued evolution of SWB as an organization, and will greatly expand our capacity to provide underserved youth with much needed recreational and educational opportunities. We hope you enjoy this quarterly update, and thank you all so much for your continued support!
Sincerely,
The Soccer Without Borders Team
|
New Advisory Board Announced
At the end of 2010, SWB formed a new ten member Advisory Board, hailing from six states and from a variety of professional backgrounds. Ranging in experience and expertise, we look forward to a productive 2011 with their guidance!
A big thank you and welcome to:
Ann Cook- Assistant Coach, Pennsylvania State University
Tim Cross- President, YouthBuild International
Manish Doshi- Partner and CFO, Meeta M Doshi DDS
Greg Lalas- Editor in Chief, MLSsoccer.com
Jeff McIntyre- Founder and President, Ruffneck Scarves
John O'Brien- Former Professional Player, US National and Olympic Teams/AJAX
Bill Price- Founder and President, Driva Solutions
Lissette Rodriguez- Director of Capacity Building, Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
Melissa Roth- Vice President and General Counsel, Global Rescue
Michael Sack- Education Director, Youth Empowerment Services
Read more about the SWB Advisors here.
|
4th Annual T.E.A.M. Camp in Granada, Nicaragua
Futbol Sin Fronteras (Soccer Without Borders), Granada, kicked off 2011 with its 4th annual TEAM camp. It was hard not to notice the animated troop of North Americans and local staff trekking down the streets with soccer balls at their feet and assorted pinnies, water jugs, cones, and Pugg goals over their shoulders. In total, we were a group of 23 North Americans and 9 Nicaraguan Staff. Volunteers came from all over the U.S., with different levels of out-of-country travel experience and proficiency in Spanish. Initially, a shared passion for soccer united the group, but it didn't take long for everyone to fall in love with the community that is FSF Granada.
 | | Circled up before camp |
It follows that the theme for camp was UNIDAD (Unity); which perfectly sums up the week's events. For the first time, participants were separated into three distinct TEAMS: Pequenas (8-11 year olds); Medianas (12-15); Grandes (16 & Up), and each group quickly assumed its own identity. The Pequenas became the Mariposas (Butterflies), the Medianas were the Estrellas (Stars), and the Grandes were the Nicoyas (Nicaragua). Each TEAM set out to demonstrate the greatest group Unity, working together through on and off field challenges in the daily themes: Identidad (Identity), Cooperacion (Cooperation), Espiritu (Spirit), and Confianza (Trust and Confidence).
All in all, TEAM camp was about so much more than soccer, and FSF is thankful to the incredible group of local staff and volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to developing this espirit de corps. Check out the Camp Highlights on Facebook!
|
SWB Collaborates with US Embassy in Support of Egyptian Girls Soccer
In December, Ben and Mary were joined by
 | | Ben, Mary, and Allison at Giza |
volunteer Allison Carney in Egypt for a two-week series of women's soccer camps and clinics. Coaching more than 200 girls and women in 4 Egyptian cities, and training more than 20 coaches, SWB worked alongside the
US Embassy, Egyptian Football Association, and the American University in Cairo. The experience was a first for everyone involved, including our Embassy hosts who quickly picked up the "Crossbar Game", a camp favorite. You can check out the video blogs from the trip on the SWB Facebook Page, or view a feature of the trip by a Cairo Morning Show.
|
|
SWB Selected as the 2011 Charity Partner of the Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival
We are very pleased to announce that SWB has been selected as the 2011 charity partner of the Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival. The Kicking & Screening Soccer Film Festival is an annual New York-based event that brings  together soccer and film enthusiasts to celebrate the beautiful game as expressed on film. K&S provides a forum for filmmakers, artists, and writers to showcase their work, uniting the millions of fans that make soccer the international phenomenon that it is. As part of their mission, K & S donates part of their proceeds each year to a charity partner that uses soccer as a vehicle for positive social change. Be sure to check out their website and see if there are any screenings in your area!
|
SWB Partners with Colorado Force
For the past two years, SWB and TEAM Granada have enjoyed the generous support of the Colorado Force. In 2011, we are excited to announce an expanded partnership, including joint league and tournament opportunities, and collaborative refugee outreach in Greeley, CO. If you are in the Boulder, Fort Collins, or Fort Logan area, be sure to enter a team in the SWB 3v3 Summer League!
|
|
|
|
DONATE NOW!
(Click on the Dove)
|
|
