Media Contact
Meredith McClure, U.S. Soccer Foundation, mmcclure@ussoccerfoundation.org, 202.872.6662
Washington, D.C. – Thanks to donations from the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Sport Court®, and the Urban Soccer Initiative, the children at the Rand Campus of the Dorothy I. Height Community Academy Public Charter Schools (CAPCS) in NE Washington, D.C. have a new soccer field to play on. The revamped recreation area also includes two basketball courts.
The U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the U.S., is hosting a grand opening ceremony at the field followed by a free soccer clinic run by United Soccer Club on September 16, 2010, for over 130 children from the school. Each child will receive a healthy snack from Sunsweet Growers and an interactive booklet provided by LazyTown that offers educational information about fruits and vegetables.
Rand is one of six CAPCS campuses in the city, serving children in pre-school through 8th grade. The school is located in an economically disadvantaged area that offers very few organized after-school recreational opportunities for children.
The field opening is part of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s work to raise public awareness for National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month by hosting events throughout September that use soccer to engage children in healthy activities and showcase the important role organized, grassroots youth sports programs can play in the fight against childhood obesity. Since its inception, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has supported the development of over 1,100 fields and impacted over 4.9 million players across the U.S.
“We believe that all children should have easy and affordable access to well-designed sports-based youth development programs and safe places to play in their neighborhoods,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President and CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “By supporting the development of safe playing fields like the one at the Rand campus in Washington, D.C. – we can ensure that our children have opportunities to play, stay active and live healthy lives. ”
“This soccer/basketball complex is a wonderful addition to the Rand campus,” said CAPCS Founder Kent Amos. “Our students are very excited about the opportunities it offers and we are grateful to the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Sport Court and the Urban Soccer Initiative for their generous support. More of our students will learn to play soccer, it will promote the growth of urban soccer activities and it will help us re-emphasize the importance of good nutrition and regular physical exercise as essential to health and development.”
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010 from 2 pm to 4 pm
WHERE: CAPCS Rand Campus, 33 Riggs Rd. NE, Washington, DC 20011
CONTACT: Meredith McClure, U.S. Soccer Foundation, 202-872-6662 or mmcclure@ussoccerfoundation.org
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About the U.S. Soccer Foundation
The U.S. Soccer Foundation is the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States. Established in 1994, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has invested more than $51 million, supporting hundreds of projects in every state. The U.S. Soccer Foundation supports programs and field building projects that provide low-income and at-risk youth in urban communities with soccer programs that promote education, healthy lifestyles, leadership and positive alternatives to drugs, crime and other at-risk behaviors. For more information, or to donate online, please visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org/donate.
For more information about the Dorothy I. Height Community Academy Public Charter Schools (CAPCS) visit www.capcs.org.
About Connor Sport Court International
More athletic events are played on Connor Sport Court surfaces than on any other sports flooring in the world. Connor sports floors have established themselves as the standard for professional and collegiate sports since the company was founded in 1872. Sport Court® is a registered trade mark of Connor Sport Court International. Since 1974, it has identified the original and authentic modular sport surface, continuously improved and patented to provide the highest levels of quality and performance. Connor Sport Court is proud to be the only sports surfacing company in the world that is independently audited and verified as “Zero Waste” and fully ISO 9001:2008 certified. sportcourt.com
