Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Riverhounds Announce February Combine

01/09/2012 06:07 PM

Pittsburgh, PA- Following the Hounds most recent Open Tryout which attracted the highest participation in years, the coaching staff is very excited about this Invitational Combine and what lies ahead for the Organization in 2012. Head Coach Justin Evans had this to say, “The Open Tryout this December not only brought a great number of players, but also the overall quality level of play across the board.” Throughout the two day tryout, which included players from 30 different states and 7 different countries, the Coaching Staff was able to identify a handful of players who could help this year’s squad.

This will be the Riverhounds final Combine before completing their roster for the 2012 season. The Combine will be a three day event held February 8^th – 10^th for all QUALIFIED college, amateur and professional players looking to continue their soccer careers. The Combine will begin at the Greentree SportsPlex on the 8^th and finish at the South Pointe Fieldhouse on the 9^th and 10^th.

All interested players should complete the registration form below by February 3^rd. Completion of the registration MUST include updated player resume, current references and method of payment for the Combine. The Riverhounds Coaching Staff will contact each player’s current references to determine if the player meets the minimum standards set for the Combine. If the player does not meet these minimum standards, admission into this Combine will be denied. The player will be notified of their entry or denial into the Combine by Riverhounds Coaching Staff.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh Greentree, a Riverhounds partner, shares facility grounds with the Greentree SportsPlex and will provide a discounted room rate for all participants of the Combine. To reserve a room at the DoubleTree, please call 1-800-333-3333. To receive the Riverhounds discounted room rate, please reference that your stay is for the Riverhounds February Combine.

REGISTRATION FORM - Click Here

COST: $110 if registered by February 3^rd or $125 if registered after February 3^rd
CUTOFF DATE: No new registrations will be accepted after Monday, February 6^th2012

MAIL TO:
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
ATTN: February Combine
600 Iron City Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15205

FAX:

412.250.0090

If you have any further questions or concerns regarding the Combine please contact,

John Rotz

Assistant Coach

412.539.1191

jrotz@riverhounds.com

Riverhounds RDA Girls Shine at Triangle Friendlies

01/23/2012 10:47 PM

Fayetteville, NC-The Pittsburgh Riverhounds Development Academy Girls traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina to compete in the Atlantic Soccer League’s Triangle Friendlies this weekend. The two RDA teams brought an impressive display of beautiful soccer to the Friendlies despite battling against Mother Nature and treacherous field conditions. The RDA girls showcased technical dominance in keeping the ball on the ground and dictating possession throughout the day, garnering attention from tournament administrators, referees and parents of the opposition.

“We decided as an organization to focus on the development of the players and for us to continue in this process we entered the teams into older age groups,” said Jason Kutney, Riverhounds CEO. “This being our first ever sanctioned event for our Academy players, the girls demonstrated that their maturity, heart and commitment to one another was second to none.”

The U-12/13 RDA team, a group consisting of mainly U-12 players, competed against teams comprised of true U-13 players. Challenged by pools of significant standing water and thick mud, the RDA girls maintained discipline and team shape that allowed each player to demonstrate their understanding and style of technical prowess. Their results in group stage was enough to grant advancement into the semi-final game scheduled for Sunday morning, however the administrators of the tournament deemed the field conditions unplayable and cancelled all of Sundays game fixtures.

Scott Gibson, Director of Academy Operations added, “I was especially pleased in the way the girls dug deep and rallied together to continue to play the correct way when stifled by the field conditions. The spirit and desire on display was a testament to the players and their commitment to the organization.”

Summary of Results

8:00 am—RDA U-12/13’s 0 v 0 JASA Coastal Serge U-13’s

Lady Hound of the Match—Alexis Kendro

1:20 pm—RDA U-12/13’s 2 v 1 FVAA Flames Red U-13’s

Goal— 4’ Emily Harrigan; Assiste - Alexa Contacos

Goal— 30’ Ciara Terabasso; Assisted - Alexis Kendro

Goal— 54’ FVAA

Lady Hound of the Match—Allison Walker

The U-14/15 RDA girls, with only two U-15 players and even one U-13 player, matched up with true U-15 teams from North Carolina. Similar to the younger RDA team, the girls dominated possession in both Saturday matches walking away with a decisive first place finish in group stage. Unfortunately the RDA team did not get the opportunity to compete in the semi-final game due to tournament cancellation.

“The girls have set the standard for future RDA competitions,” commented John Rotz, Assistant Coach of the First Team. “Their ability to play within themselves and battle as a unit led to an exciting brand of soccer while making their opponents play in an uncomfortable setting.

Summary of Results

9:30 am—RDA U-14/15’s 5 v 0 NMSC Black U15’s

Goal—27’ Madison Santo

Goal—38’ Shawna Zaken; Assist—Kaylee Rabatin

Goal—61’ Maggie Coulson; Assist—Shawna Zaken

Goal—64’ Mikayla Mance; Assist—Olivia Cotter

Goal—69’ Maggie Coulson

Lady Hound of the Match— Maggie Coulson

3:30 pm—RDA U-14/15’s 1 v 1 CRSC Carolina Select U15’s

Goal—21’ CRSC

Goal—35’ Mikayla Mance (PK)

Lady Hound of the Match— Mikayla Mance

Pittsburgh Riverhounds Soccer Club Unveils Plans for New Stadium in Station Square

01/12/2012 02:12 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2012

PITTSBURGH, PA. (January 10, 2012) The Pittsburgh Riverhounds announced today the construction of a multi-sport stadium to serve as a home field for the United Soccer League (USL) professional soccer club. The Pittsburgh Passion Professional Women’s Football Team also intends to make the stadium its home field. The stadium will be constructed in Station Square, Pittsburgh’s preeminent mixed-use entertainment complex, with a completion date expected for summer 2012.

The stadium intends to operate year-round and host training programs, games and tournaments for soccer, football, lacrosse, rugby, and softball. Stadium users will include youth, high school, college, adult, and professional athletes. The stadium management is also currently assessing plans to incorporate outdoor ice rinks in the winter for public skate hours and amateur hockey games, as well as the potential use of the stadium for concerts and music events.

“In an economy that is struggling, this stadium will have a tremendous impact on the community in more ways than just athletics,” said David Wilke, consultant of the Riverhounds. “It will create jobs and employ the services of some local businesses, which ultimately will help stimulate our local economy.”

“This announcement is an exciting development for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and was made possible through a great deal of hard work by the entire Riverhounds organization,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “With Pittsburgh joining other USL PRO clubs making significant progress on venue initiatives, we are well on our way to our goal of seeing all USL PRO teams playing in soccer-specific stadiums in the next 3-5 years.”

The stadium plans to be constructed on part of the former Trib Total Media Amphitheater site and a portion of the parking area to the east of that site. There are plans for additional parking to be developed to the west of the new event site.

“The ultimate goal of this project is to broker a positive change for young, aspiring athletes from Western Pennsylvania who are so often overlooked in the national sports scene,” said Jason Kutney, Riverhounds CEO and player.

Anticipating over 600,000 visitors per year, the stadium looks to reinforce Station Square’s position as a travel destination, bringing visitors to Pittsburgh from across the country.

"Pittsburgh is experiencing its Third Renaissance and every day it seems that there are more plans for attractions that will add to our City’s vibrancy," said Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "Pittsburgh is a sports town and there’s no doubt that this stadium will serve as a great asset for the Station Square destination corridor."

“We would like to thank the Riverhounds organization for all of their hard work in bringing this important project to Station Square,” said James LaRue, asset manager with Forest City Commercial Management, which developed, owns and manages Station Square. “The addition of the stadium will have a positive impact on downtown Pittsburgh, as well as on Station Square and its place as a destination for many years to come, and we welcome this opportunity.”

The stadium will seat approximately 3,500 on the south and east sides of the field. The north side of the field will remain open to welcome inward views from a refurbished Riverwalk Trail and outward views of the Pittsburgh skyline.

Pittsburgh-based research, strategy, and design firm, fathom; fathom completed an “insight journal” using data gathered during personal interviews with soccer fans, soccer families, soccer players, and business owners. The insight journal was used to create a stadium that would meet the visions of its user groups.

Architectural designs of the stadium were done by ThenDesign Architecture (TDA), an Ohio-based firm opening offices in Pittsburgh. Also involved in the stadium designs was Pittsburgh-based real estate developer and management company Millcraft Industries, Inc.

The estimated $7 million stadium is currently a privately financed project by local investors. Corporate support for this project is coming from Highmark, who will receive naming rights to the stadium, as well as Trib Total Media, and #1 Cochran.

Concession groups and the final sponsors are still in discussion, and will be announced shortly, along with the official name of the stadium.

###

About the Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Founded in 1999 as a member of the United Soccer Leagues’ A-League, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds have brought elite soccer to Western Pennsylvania and are the only pro soccer team in the Tri-State Area. The Riverhounds recruit players from top programs around the country and the world. Since established, the Riverhounds have not had an official home field and have played at CONSOL Energy Stadium in Washington, Pa as well as a handful of local high schools around the area. In 2007, the team obtained new ownership and began to develop a presence in the area. During this same year, the Riverhounds brokered a relationship with Everton Football Club of England to create a developmental program for youth soccer players. The Riverhounds Academy has grown in participation, programming, and value and has proved to be a soccer Academy where young players are trained by the professionals. The growth of the Academy in the area has been a catalyst for the new stadium. During the fall of 2010, the Riverhounds joined the USL PRO Division created by the United Soccer Leagues. The division sits just below Major League Soccer and will serve as a stepping stone for players looking to jump to the next level.

USL PRO Regular Season Schedule Released

01/12/2012 03:56 PM

USL NEWS RELEASE: Wednesday, January 11, 2012

USL PRO Regular Season Schedule Released

League alignment, playoff format also announced

TAMPA, Fla. – USL PRO announced its 2012 regular season alignment and schedule Wednesday, with the 132-game regular season slated to kick off on Friday, April 6. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Antigua Barracuda will officially get the season underway at Sticky Wicket Stadium on April 6, and also highlighting the kickoff weekend is the opener for 2011 USL PRO champion Orlando City, which visits the Charlotte Eagles on Saturday, April 7.

Rounding out USL PRO’s opening-weekend action is a heavyweight matchup between the Richmond Kickers and Charleston Battery on Saturday at City Stadium in Richmond, followed by a second meeting between Pittsburgh and Antigua at Sticky Wicket on Sunday.

USL PRO, which enjoyed a tremendous amount of success both on and off the pitch in 2011, will feature 11 returning teams playing in a single-table format in 2012. F.C. New York is no longer a member of USL PRO.

2012 USL PRO Table

Antigua Barracuda FC

Charleston Battery

Charlotte Eagles

Dayton Dutch Lions

Harrisburg City Islanders

Los Angeles Blues

Orlando City Lions

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Richmond Kickers

Rochester Rhinos

Wilmington Hammerheads

The strongest, best operated and most experienced North American men’s professional soccer league below MLS, both on and off the field, USL PRO will once again feature a national television broadcast package on FOX Soccer, as well as an extensive online broadcast package vis USL Live. USL PRO’s national broadcast schedule on FOX Soccer will be announced at a later date. Focused on franchise stability and longevity, USL PRO features six teams with more than a decade of operational experience, and more than 100 years of combined operational experience.

“Coming off a fantastic 2011 season that featured crowds of 10,000-plus and one of the most memorable championship games in history, we’re excited about the potential for league and team growth the 2012 season offers,” USL PRO Senior Director Chris Economides said. “USL PRO gives fans an exciting and entertaining product to enjoy, and they have responded by embracing their teams at levels that have exceeded our expectations.”

Teams will once again play 24 games in the 2012 season with a maximum of four games played against any single opponent. The 2012 USL PRO Playoffs will include the top six finishers in the table, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving a first-round bye the weekend of August 24-26. The semifinals featuring the four remaining teams will be played the following weekend, with the 2012 USL PRO Championship set for the weekend of September 7-9. All playoff rounds feature a single-game knockout format.

The final weekend of the regular season is set for Friday-Sunday August 17-19, with all 11 teams in action as the race for playoff spots winds down.

Click Here for 2012 USL PRO Schedule

USL PRO
USL PRO is the strongest, best operated and most experienced North American men’s professional soccer league below MLS, both on and off the field. Focused on franchise stability and longevity, USL PRO features an unprecedented six teams with more than a decade of operational experience. The league is focused on aggressive but deliberate growth by adding teams fully capable of meeting USL and USSF standards, which are located in markets that further promote regional league play. In addition to league play, USL PRO teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various domestic and international exhibitions. USL PRO is affiliated with the U.S. Soccer Federation

USL Public Relations - Jay Preble / Nicholas Murray / David Wagner - Tampa, FL - 813.963.3909 - Twitter: @USLPRO

Riverhounds 4th Annual Holiday Classic Tournament

01/09/2012 09:50 PM

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds hosted their 4^th Annual Holiday Classic during the recent Holiday season. Since inception, the Classic has grown exponentially in participation, landing 2011 with the best turnout to date with over 100 teams. The 5-day tournament encouraged teams from Erie, Central Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia to battle for the coveted championship medals.

The Classic was broken up into two separate tournaments, opening up with the creative and up-tempo 3v3 and wrapping up with the spacious and tactical 6v6. These two events impressed the players, coaches, spectators and staff who were all in attendance at the Greentree SportsPlex, indoor facility of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

3v3 Recap

On match Day 1, the Classic witnessed its youngest competitors warm up the SportsPlex with multiple nail-biting moments in the early morning. The eighteen U-8/9 girls and boys teams impressed the Riverhounds staff with tight-knit matches, highlighted by a penalty shootout in the playoffs between the Baboons and Nazcar. The championship crowns were awarded to the Little Lady Knights of North Huntingdon and Norte Unidos of the North Hills.

The afternoon portion of match Day 1 landed all sixteen U-10/11 girl’s teams on the SportsPlex’s main stage. The girls embraced the opportunity to entertain the crowd and showcase their talents in the fight to earn this year’s Classic title. Two teams stood out during the 4-bracket pool play; team Pitt Crew and the Soccerholics, providing the spectators with an inevitable and deserved championship match-up. Team Pitt Crew earned the honor of champions, for the second straight Classic.

The Match Day 1 night cap of the U-10/11 boys featured a physical, yet sophisticated display of soccer. The fourteen team, two bracket set-up encouraged the teams to earn the necessary points to receive the critical bye in the playoffs. The semi-finals were intense with Team Chile and Crew ending in penalty kicks while the Belle Vernon Leopards handed the Murrysville Amigos their first loss in the Classic. The BV Leopards surprised the spectators with an impressive victory in the championship over the Crew.

Match Day 2 of the 3v3 Classic was filled with sixteen U-12/13 girls and boys teams. The girls and boys rotated the play every 20 minutes throughout the morning with the girls setting the standard of play while the boys put the finishing touches on the day.

The girls’ final saw a battle of David and Goliath, with Number 1 seed Connellsville United meeting a number 4 seed Lake Erie SC. Lake Erie played their best soccer in the playoffs, but could not withstand the offensive prowess of United. Connellsville earned their second championship in the last three Classics.

The boys’ final was comprised of Century United teammates looking across at one another to determine the winners. Holding nothing back and leaving friendships at the door, the teams ended regulation dead-even and forced a 5-minute overtime. In the end, team Fire prevailed by scoring one goal in overtime to take home the championship medals.

	3v3 Winners
Age Group	Girls	Boys
U-8/9	Little Lady Knights	Norte Unidos
U-10/11	Pitt Crew	BV Leopards
U-12/13	Connellsville United	Fire

	3v3 Golden Boot Winners
Age Group	Girls	Boys
U-8/9	Lacey Bernick	Joe Irwin
U-10/11	Elaina Longjohn	Markello Apodiakos
U-12/13	Bailey Cartwright	Colin Mocyunas

6v6 Recap

Opening up the 6v6 Classic, match day 3 begin with twelve U-11/12 girl’s teams electrifying the SportsPlex with a high quality of soccer. The morning and afternoon pool play provided the teams with ample amounts of rest in order to prepare for each game. The top seeds in each bracket guaranteed themselves a place in the semi-finals and eventually a ticket into the final. Hot Tamales and the Wolves intrigued the Riverhounds staff with a heated final match, with the Hot Tamales ultimately earning the bragging rights as 2011 champions.

Wrapping up an entire day of soccer, the six U-11/12 boy’s teams picked up where the girls left off and added a new flavor to the Classic. A distinct nature to attack, and attack with speed, was burning the turf and ripping holes in the back of the nets. The ABE Stealers and “the Academy” earned a hard-fought berth into the final and continued to battle for the honor of Classic champion. The Stealers and Academy exchanged even blows throughout the game, but the Academy held on at the end to earn a one-goal victory.

The busiest day of the Classic, Match Day 4, began with thirteen U-13/14 girl’s teams offering an even balance of competition throughout the day. The pool-play was intense and came down to the final match-ups to determine who would earn their position in the playoffs. The playoff rounds required each player win their individual battles on the field, requiring the spectators to sit on the edge of their seats to see who would earn the championship. Team Missile Toes showed their overall dominance on both sides of the ball and repeated as Champions.

The evening rendition of Match Day 4 between the six U-13/14 boy’s teams did not disappoint the soccer enthusiasts inside the SportsPlex. The playoff rounds were filled with an attacking mindset and landed Pro Performance Select and Allegheny Force in the title match. The Force’s ability to move off the ball and create numbers-up chances in the offensive third proved to be too much for Pro Performance Select.

The Final Day of the 2011 Classic was an excellent ending for the week-long event. A friendly tournament for the U-15/16 girls was highlighted by the two teams playing against the Riverhounds First Team, consisting of 4 professional players and 2 coaches.

The four U-15/16 boy’s teams played a round-robin tournament to determine the seeds for the playoffs. After four games, Pittsburgh Fire matched-up against Century United to earn the chance to battle the Riverhounds First Team. Following a well-fought championship game, Century United advanced to the friendly competition with the Riverhounds.

	6v6 Winners
Age Group	Girls	Boys
U-11/12	Hot Tamales	The Academy
U-13/14	The Missile Toes	Force
U-15/16	---	Century United

	6v6 Golden Boot Winners
Age Group	Girls	Boys
U-11/12	Madi Whipple	Andres Viloria
U-13/14	Kaylee Rabatin	Chase Pastor
U-15/16	-------	Brandon Walbert

On behalf of the the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, thank you for your participation in the classic

"Keep Kicking it!" - John Rotz - Director of Tournament Operations

The Riverhounds Academy Partners with NCSA

10/31/2011 10:55 AM

The Riverhounds Academy is pleased to announce a partnership with the NCSA Athletic Recruiting Network which will start this November for all Academy players, ages 14 and older. NCSA, the National College Scouting Association, is a web-based portal utilized by student athletes and their families to research colleges through extensive search criteria, communicate directly with college coaches, and build individual player profiles that can be viewed by thousands of coaches at all levels of the NCAA.

The partnership between The Riverhounds Academy and NCSA is one that will provide a full year of access to Academy players, as the Riverhounds and NCSA continue to develop an Academy-specific portal that will become a major recruiting platform for players in the near future. Over the course of this first year, all Academy players, ages 14 and up, will have full access to the benefits of the NCSA system and will begin the process of designing individual player profiles that can be viewed by college coaches.

According to Jason Kutney, the partnership’s goal is to not only open doors for Academy players in terms of college recruitment, but also to provide families with a full range of resources to help them through an otherwise confusing process -

"Our plan is to develop a system where Riverhounds Academy profiles are consistently viewed by a network of college coaches, and where parents can have all of the necessary resources at their disposal," says Kutney. "As a professional club, we have direct relationships with a multitude of college coaches and we have begun the process of creating a very strong network. Over time, as we produce results, we will establish trusting relationships within these collegiate networks and aspire to be the go-to system for player recruitment."

Working with #1 Cochran, who recently stepped up to more than double their sponsorship of the Riverhounds Development Academy (RDA) from 2010, all costs associated with this first trial year of NCSA involvement have been covered. Over the course of the year, Riverhounds Staff will be working with NCSA to enhance the options for their players going forward. Ultimately, this year is a trial period with very big goals set by both sides.

"We are a program that stresses proper goal setting and helps its players to reach those goals," remarks Kutney. "At this time, college soccer is becoming a front-burner issue for many of our families and we would not be doing our job if we didn’t support them along the way."

The Riverhounds and NCSA will soon launch their online recruitment portal.

www.ncsasports.org

"NCSA, the National College Scouting Association, was founded in 2000 to help redefine the college recruiting processes. Since 2000, NCSA Athletic Recruiting has grown rapidly and been featured on ESPN and the Wall Street Journal. NCSA will place more than 6,000 athletes in 27 different sports at the collegiate level in 2011 and they will receive an average of over $18,000 per year in financial aid. NCSA Recruiting consists of 250 former college and professional atheltes who have dedicated their lives to helping other athletes commit, succeed and lead."

#1 Cochran Helps Fuel RDA Forward With Sponsorship

10/24/2011 10:30 AM

As the Riverhounds Development Academy (RDA) grows and continues on its path toward consideration into the US Development Academy and other elite national programs, the Riverhounds Staff continues its efforts to partner with companies who share in the belief that our area’s players deserve to be recognized at the highest levels of the game.

Working with #1 Cochran, the Riverhounds were able to offset field costs associated with the RDA 6-session winter program that took place at the Greentree SportsPlex last winter. Matching the contribution of the #1 Cochran, the Riverhounds Staff agreed to provide all of the RDA training for the short winter program at no cost to the families involved, thus making the program free of charge. The total value of the short winter program sponsorship was approximately $12,500.

Based upon the tremendous response to elite RDA player training, and the phenomenal on-field success of RDA teams against quality, regional competition, the Riverhounds immediately began discussions to expand the program and make moves to position the program for enhanced future opportunities. In gathering together the best local players with a staff of professional players and coaches, and then adding state-of-the-art strength and conditioning equipment, the RDA has proven to be a sophisticated, efficient, and progressive developmental program. As a result, the RDA programming for this winter has grown by nearly 250%.

With an Academy structure that has already added strength and conditioning training for all ages, 8 and older, the winter session is the largest single-season program the Riverhounds have ever offered. In reviewing the costs involved with the program, the Riverhounds met with #1 Cochran to discuss sponsorship to help offset some of the extra costs faced by RDA families for such a serious involvement. Immediately, #1 Cochran agreed to again, share in the costs of the program with the Riverhounds Staff, thereby eliminating ALL additional fees associated with the extra RDA programming As a result, RDA players face the same fees for their winter program as all players in The Riverhounds Academy. The total value of the winter sponsorship for 2011-2012 is approximately $25,000.

The Riverhounds would like to sincerely thank #1 Cochran for their continued generosity in support of player development in Western Pennsylvania. In sponsoring the RDA Winter Training Program, financial subsidy through corporate dollars continue to push the RDA in a great direction!

Cameroon Football Development Program

09/12/2011 12:36 PM

History

CFDP founder Justin Forzano first traveled to Cameroon in 2006 with the University of Dayton ETHOS Program. Over the next three years, he worked to design and construct a clean water supply system in Barombi Mbo, a village in the Southwest Region of Cameroon near the city of Kumba. Each year Justin traveled to Cameroon, he carried with him soccer equipment and jerseys donated by friends including universities, high schools, and sporting goods stores  in his hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia. Soccer players and clubs in Cameroon were more than grateful to receive the goods and it wasn’t long before Justin got to thinking:

How can we leverage Cameroon’s love of soccer, and use donated soccer equipment from the U.S., to encourage development, and empower new generations of leaders?

Along with a team of local community leaders in Kumba, Justin assembled the initial workings of what would grow into the Cameroon Football Development Program. In the summer of 2010, the inaugural CFDP summer camp brought over 100 youth together from around Kumba for a week of soccer drills and lessons about many of the important issues facing Cameroonian adolescents, including HIV/AIDS, sexual responsibility, healthy interpersonal relationships and community building. With the support of the Kumba community, CFDP established a solid foundation to build upon and has continued to prosper ever since.

Mission in West Africa

CFDP employs a distinct approach to educating and empowering youth in Cameroon which combines educational lessons and discussions with soccer drills and games in a positive and uplifting atmosphere.

CFDP collaborate with schools, churches, soccer clubs, and community groups by training local leaders within partner organizations, like teachers, skilled soccer players, and other professionals, who serve as positive role-models for the youth who participate. They provide each partner group with a handbook that includes information on topics including, HIV/AIDS education, life skills, health and fitness, conflict resolution, water sanitation and general health related issues. Additionally, the handbook contains instructions for leading soccer drills and games as a platform to encourage friendly competition, instill self-confidence, and emphasize teamwork. This curriculum is based on proven techniques for combining health education and sport. Friends at Soccer Dreams Without Borders, Grassroots Soccer, and FSS Salaberry have been instrumental in developing our approach and tailoring it for maximum effectiveness within a specifically Cameroonian context.

After completing their CFDP training, the partner leaders run regular, weekly, sessions at their organizations based on the curriculum handbook. This linear approach allows students to build upon topics and discussions from previous meetings, encouraging enhanced comprehension, reliability, and sustainability. As the sessions progress, CFDP site coordinators from our central Kumba office visit regularly to monitor progress, evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum for future updates, and otherwise support the session leader.

In addition, CFDP provides collaborating groups with donated new and lightly-used soccer equipment. This equipment serves as important capital for many of our collaborating groups, who, without it, would not have the resources to support after-school football. CFDP participants, both organizations and individuals, who display hard work, a dedication to the ideals of CFDP, and an exceptional execution of the program can be rewarded with additional equipment based on availability.

Get Involved

To learn more about CFDP and to get involved please visit http://www.cameroonfdp.com/contribute/