Geneva student helps Liberia soccer players
Collecting used soccer cleats and balls to send to a Liberian soccer academy in need of equipment is one thing. But learning how people come forward to help with a worthy cause may be the most valuable lesson Geneva freshman Sydney Smith has learned.
The 15-year-old Smith has spearheaded the equipment drive twice now as part of her “Choose to Matter” service project at the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academy in Oak Brook she has attended the past two summers.
A soccer player since she was 5 years old, Smith learned through her camp about how young players in Liberia have no access to soccer gear.
“It was explained as a service project we could do, so I decided I wanted to do it,” Smith said. “Once I started telling people what I was doing, they were all really willing to help.”
Smith received help from her Campton United Soccer Club, from Geneva High School, and her church, Geneva Lutheran.
Smith intends to ship the gear to Liberia in March. At this point, she’s collected 120 donated soccer balls and 90 pairs of soccer cleats.
By comparison, last year she sent 26 pairs of used cleats, which were being shared by more than 200 children at the Uhuru Football Academy in Liberia. She was determined to send more pairs to cut down on the sharing.
At an upcoming Soccer Expo ’12 tournament on March 10 in Schaumburg, Smith will have 55-gallon donation drums for players to drop off used equipment.
Sydney’s mother, Jeannette, has been proud of her daughter’s desire to help those in need. But she’s also pleased her daughter has learned a valuable lesson about how others will follow a strong leader.
“She was really surprised about how everyone came forward to help her,” Jeannette said of her daughter. “It is nice for her to feel that, knowing there are no walls put up and your pool of resources can be limitless when you are doing something good.”
For her effort, Sydney can earn a trip to the London 2012 Olympics if she gets enough votes for her project. Those interested in voting can visit the Julie Foudy website and the “Choose to Matter” projects and vote for Smith’s project titled, “Causes for Freedom.”
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