Sports4HOPE's soccer guru Scott Brelsford (far left in red) shares how he spent his summer promoting sport & peace education with the help of The Boys and Girls Club...Hey everyone! Now that summer has come to an end, I wanted to share a few words about Sports4HOPE’s first fund-raising event which occurred this July in my home state of Tennessee...
With the help of the Keystone Group from the Boys and Girls Club (Of Murfreesboro, TN), I was able to run the soccer portion of a sport fund-raising clinic for kids ranging from 7-14 years of age. The turnout was fantastic and allowed us to do various drills and mini games which culminated in a full scrimmage after an awesome lunch break that was sponsored in part by Miss Tennessee.
By collecting donations in exchange for a day of sports training, the club was able to raise money that will help kids in DR Congo benefit from the same type of leagues that kids in the US experience. We also taught the youths about Sports4HOPE's mission. I explained that while kids here are able to learn sportsmanship, teamwork, develop respect for other players and coaches through sport, kids in less developed or conflict affected countries don't always have these opportunities. The kids agreed that all people, young and old, here or abroad, should have access to sports - which is something we take for granted.
At a grassroots level, the training session was similar to what we anticipate the beginning stages of our work in the Congolese villages will look like. However, the training for the boys and girls of Murfreesboro was just for one day, whereas training and coaching the kids in the Congo will be longterm. In the end, it's all about kids coming together for a common purpose - to learn the value of relationships and teamwork through sport, and thus helping peace move forward...
Scott Brelsford
scott.brelsford@sports4hope.org
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