Amid the greater interest in supporting organizations with books, is a commitment to providing clients with books that they see themselves in. As we celebrate Black History Month we recognize the way this incredible partnership with BookSmiles helps us honor the contributions of Black people to history and culture throughout the year in the books we distribute to our players.
Read MoreAt the event, the Up2Us coaches demonstrated a variety of activities to KSC Prep coaches and facilitated a game of Jeopardy with trivia questions about women’s achievements in sports. The first series of games was called “Super-She”. There were five stations set up at the gym led by KSC and Up2Us coaches. Five teams - later named after famous women athletes - circulated through the stations to participate in different challenges. Twan from Up2Us dressed up as a Superhero and roved through the stations ready to ask the teams bonus trivia questions created by Alannah.
Read MoreIan L: Creating a best-in-class grassroots soccer program and player pipeline necessitates a multifaceted approach that encompasses clear goal-setting, recruitment of a skilled coaching staff, implementation of a comprehensive player development plan, cultivation of a culture of excellence, utilization of technology and data analysis, establishment of partnerships and collaborations, provision of clear progression pathways, and prioritization of player welfare.
Read MoreAs a coach for U14 Girls, she emphasizes the importance of not backing down from a challenge. As women in sports, she says, “I know a lot of women, they can be shy, have like low self-esteem, not want to go against the toughest players but you have to put yourself out there, put yourself in those kinds of situations. Because you are going to realize what you need to work on and you’re going to realize what you’re capable of doing. You’re going to really surprise yourself.” She connected her philosophy of never backing down from a challenge to her early experiences playing soccer against men. The ideals she instills in her girls reflect the expectations she upholds herself as an athlete and a person. She says, “So, me going to Peru and putting myself out there not really understanding their language, I am still going to go and tryout and to just be the best that I can be because I know. I am still capable of learning Spanish, I am still capable of being a better player. There’s always room to learn.” It is clear that as she builds her own skills she is also sharing her gems of wisdom and experience with her players at KSC.
Read MoreWe are elated to announce that Yancarlo Corredor is the 2023 recipient of The Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Danny Shissler Scholarship. Yancarlo, warmly referred to by his teammates as Carlos, has been playing with Kensington Soccer Club since the age of 8. Our coaches nominated him because of his incredible leadership at KSC.
Read MoreWe also got a chance to see how our work fits within the bigger picture at a Sports Based Youth Development workshop hosted by Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative. While meeting with some of our earliest supporters, our staff felt a resurgence of appreciation for those who supported us from our early beginnings as a small community group to the organization we are today. As organization leaders reflected on the foundation for success that their coaches built for them it reflected the long-lasting impact of quality mentoring. While standing among our peers, Mayor Kenney reinforced that our work isn’t only fun but is a much-needed intervention in our efforts to quell gun violence.
Read MoreThe grant will be used to provide more robust and expert violence prevention programs for our teens and young adults and to continue to expand to involve more people. KSC will use the funding to make Friday Night Lights a year-round program so it can reach more people and build on the foundation created with past participants.
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