KSC Receives Generous Cleat Donation From New Youth Initiative

Sisters Caitlyn (top, second left) and Alex (top, second right) donated 127 pairs of cleats to Kensington Soccer Club./Photo by Alberto Huichapa

KENSINGTON, Pa. - As an organization that strives to use soccer as a means to develop youth leadership, we couldn’t be more honored to be the initial donation recipients of a new initiative established by two young soccer players.

Best Foot Forward, brought to life by sisters Alex (15) and Caitlyn (11) Ketover, was created to help collect and provide new and gently used cleats to local clubs with players in underserved communities.

“We realize that not everyone has the luxuries and privileges we have had,” Alex said in a social media post announcing the project. “Every year since we started playing soccer, we were fortunate to have new gear and cleats so that we could play comfortably. We know these things are costly and that in this challenging time, many families are struggling just to meet basic needs. We decided we wanted to help ease some of that burden so that more kids could get out and play the sport we love.”

The collection efforts came from a place of wanting to help underserved youth continue to play the same game the Ketovers fell in love with./ Photo by Alberto Huichapa

The Ketovers cleat donation to Kensington Soccer Club./ Photo by Alberto Huichapa

Throughout the summer, with the help of their mother Julie Ketover, they coordinated the collection of 254 pairs of cleats — 127 of which will be donated to Kensington Soccer Club.

“I’m really proud of my daughters,” Julie said. “They’ve been very lucky in their lives to be playing soccer for years, getting new shoes and equipment every year. They know that’s not always the case for others, so we wanted to give back. We wanted to do something that would resonate for them and because they love this sport, they wanted to find a way to make it more accessible to other children.”

Kensington Soccer Club prides itself in being able to provide players with uniforms and equipment, at no cost to them. With a $5 refundable deposit, players can also rent out cleats from our vast collection to use throughout a respective season. Through these initiatives, the club helps lift expense burdens from families looking to enroll their children in soccer programs. Of course, these efforts would not be possible without the support and donations of selfless community members, such as the Ketover family.

The Ketovers plan to formalize the initiative and host bi-annual cleat donation drives in the future, hoping to garner larger donations and establish potential partnerships with retailers.

Those interested in supporting or donating to Best Foot Forward can keep up with their efforts by following Alex and Julie Ketover’s Facebook accounts, linked below:

Alex Ketover
Julie Hasson Ketover