Greetings!

Welcome to the first issue of The 12th Player, the newsletter from Grassroot Soccer. This newsletter is designed to keep Grassroot Soccer’s supporters abreast of work Grassroot Soccer is doing to combat the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, and of new developments within the organization.

Since beginning our work in Zimbabwe in 2002, we’ve expanded our efforts into Zambia, Botswana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and the Dominican Republic. To date, approximately 350,000 kids have participated in GRS programs in Africa, and we’ve formed dozens of partnerships with local groups, national governments and international aid agencies. We expect over 1 million kids will graduate from Grassroot Soccer programs in the next 3 years.

“The 12th Player” is a soccer term used to describe the fans, friends and supporters that give the 11 players on the field encouragement throughout a tough match. As a member of Grassroot Soccer’s “12th Player”, you’re an essential part of our team. I’d like to invite your feedback and questions, and thank you for all of your ongoing interest and support.

Sincerely,
Tommy Clark, MD
Founder and Executive Director
Grassroot Soccer

In this issue

Kick AIDS 2005 Kicks Off
Thanks
Upcoming Events
Grassroot Soccer’s Zambia Program Flying High

Kick AIDS 2005 Kicks Off

Kick AIDS, Grassroot Soccer’s highly successful US-based educational and fundraising program, has launched its 2005 campaign. Targeted at middle school, high school and college students, Kick AIDS sends fully-trained college soccer players, called GRS Ambassadors, to visit schools over an intensive four-week period to educate American students about the global HIV epidemic and to give them an opportunity to participate in the solution. The American students help African students by raising awareness in their communities of the HIV epidemic, and by collecting pledges for a nation-wide soccer skills competition. Those pledges are used to directly support GRS’s Africa programs. Kick AIDS emphasizes education and activism, with the added incentives of competition, recognition for fundraising, and team-based prizes.

Kick AIDS is the brainchild of a Hanover, NH high school soccer player who wanted to find a way to help Grassroot Soccer achieve its mission. Kick AIDS launched in 2003 with just 7 high schools participating. In 2004, more than 10,000 students participated. This year, we expect over 50,000 students from more 150 high schools, 20 soccer camps and 20 colleges to participate. Additionally, sponsors such as Hummel, Big Toe Soccer, Capri Sun, PUGG, and Kwik Goal have all contributed funds and prize incentives to ensure the success of Kick AIDS.

Grassroot Soccer Co-Founder and Kick AIDS Director Ethan Zohn couldn’t be more pleased. “Kick AIDS is such a great opportunity for American kids to get involved and contribute something meaningful to the world around them,” Ethan said, adding, “I’m extremely proud of the work we’re doing.”

Want to know more or register your school to participate?

Thanks

Grassroot Soccer recently held two very successful supporter dinners in the San Francisco area. We’d like to thank our hosts, Lisa and Ted Scherman, and Gretchen Dianda and Robert Lieff, in San Francisco, and Ted and Stefanie Leland in Palo Alto, for opening their homes to us. Finally, we thank all the Grassroot Soccer friends and family who attended and made the events a success.

Thanks are also due to Coach Bobby Clark and the University of Notre Dame’s Men’s Varsity Soccer Team. On August 22, Notre Dame hosted an exhibition game against the team from the University of New Mexico to benefit Grassroot Soccer. More than 2,300 fans attended the event, and their donations were matched by an anonymous Notre Dame alumnus and the Notre Dame Men’s Soccer Program. All of the GRS staff thanks Coach Clark, Nicole Jones at the UND Athletic Department, and the Men’s Teams of Notre Dame and New Mexico for their support and encouragement.

We’re extremely excited about our new official headquarters, in Hanover, New Hampshire, and thank David Clem for his generous contribution of office space to the GRS team.

Grassroot Soccer appreciates all of the help we receive from our “12th Player” supporters. We’re excited about the expanding opportunities to reach children across Africa with the Grassroot Soccer curriculum, and hope you’ll consider a contribution to help us continue to grow and improve our programs.

Want to help?

Upcoming Events

Ethan Zohn’s Reality All-Star
Soccer Festival
November 4th and 5th
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

This weekend of fun and fundraising to benefit GRS will pit reality television all-stars against stars from the soccer world in two high-spirited matches. Players for the reality stars include Ethan, Jenna Morasca (CBS’s Survivor), and Trista and Ryan (ABC’s Bachelorette), among many others. The soccer stars’ team will boast standouts such as Eric Wynalda (US World Cup Team 1990-1998, currently ABC/ESPN soccer commentator) and Raul Diaz Arce (Member of D.C. United’s 1997 MLS Cup Championship team).

Want more details about this event?

Grassroot Soccer’s Zambia Program Flying High

Grassroot Soccer’s expansion into Zambia has been a huge success, according to Africa Programs Director Jeff Decelles. “The need here is so huge, and the response so positive - I’m absolutely thrilled,” Jeff said.

Starting in January 2005, Jeff began exploring partnerships with local soccer clubs and youth organizations while simultaneously recruiting and training Zambian soccer stars like Dennis Ngwenya (above, left), who works as a GRS educator in Bulawayo.

Thanks to Jeff’s hard work, GRS now reaches 300 students a week in 3 different refugee camps through a partnership with the International Organization of Migration (IOM). GRS has also conducted a training of trainers for the international NGO PlaySoccer and for the 15 boy and girl peer education teams managed by local NGOs the Youth Activist Organization (YAO), Africa Directions, and the Kalusha Bwalya Foundation.

“We’ve worked with such great people already, and are constantly talking to new groups about getting Grassroot’s programs out there,” Jeff said. “I truly believe the potential here is limitless.”

Want to find out more about GRS Africa?

Quick Links…

Contribute Now
More About Grassroot Soccer
More about Kick AIDS
Grassroot Soccer Store

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 22nd, 2005 at 10:00 pm .