Support Fighting Illini soccer on its 10-day philanthropic trip to Central America
The Trip
The Illini Soccer program is set to join the Soccer Without Borders organization for a 10-day service trip to Nicaragua. Using the skills and confidence from competing as an NCAA Division I student-athlete, the Orange and Blue will set out to empower young women, ages 7-20, through sport. The Soccer Without Borders program provides year-round camps and clinics throughout Nicaragua, putting an emphasis on creating safe spaces and new opportunities. The Illini players are role models to the young girls who are a part of the SWB program and will look to provide motivation and inspiration, while allowing the girls to see a bright future for themselves.
The Mission
The Illini squad has collected soccer gear and supplies to donate to the girls in the program, and the team will put on several coaching clinics and camps throughout the country. The team plans to spend time nurturing the girls’ soccer skills and helping them develop as players and as individuals. The Illini will also have an opportunity to train alongside and compete against the Nicaraguan Women’s National Team.
How Can I Help?
The Illini soccer program needs your help! Every small donation counts and will help the players fund their trip to Nicaragua. Not only will this service trip benefit the young Nicaraguan girls who participate, but it will help teach our team the value of their position as role models in the community. The Illini work to bring smiles to young fans faces each and every day here in the Champaign-Urbana community, but there is so much work to be done around the world, and this trip is just a small step in bettering the lives of young girls around the world.
About Soccer Without Borders
Soccer Without Borders originated in 2006 with the purpose of addressing three critical issues: a lack of safe spaces where young people feel cared for, a lack of opportunity for youth to actively explore social issues and community challenges and s lack of social capital and access to potential opportunities for education, employment and personal growth. While there are many positive sport experiences, soccer is the most universally accessible; at its most basic level it offers playing opportunities that are low-cost, physically beneficial, inclusive and enjoyable. Soccer also enjoys worldwide popularity, making it the perfect platform from which to develop physically, socially, and individually. Soccer Without Borders believes that the potential of soccer to make change is deeper than simply playing the game. Rather, the organization’s programs are built around the philosophy that soccer’s interpersonal environment has unique potential to meaningfully impact participants. Within that environment, youth are exposed to the benefits of soccer and team sports for their bodies, voices, and minds, and supported in the application of these benefits to their everyday lives and future goals.