SOCCER IN THE STREETS RAISES OVER $100K FOR FREE YOUTH SOCCER

Over $120,000 Raised to Support Youth Soccer

Over $120,000 raised to support sustainable free youth soccer programs in Atlanta

Real Madrid Wins Soccer in the Streets’ ATL Champions League Event At Atlanta Silverbacks Park on July 13th

The Ninth Annual Soccer in the Streets ATL Champions League event was held on Saturday, July 13th at Atlanta Silverbacks Park and Real Madrid took the Championship on the soccer side of the tournament.

However, the main goal of the event was raising funds to bring soccer to lower-income communities while leveling the playing field for children regardless of socioeconomic status throughout metro Atlanta.

The funds raised at this annual tournament help Soccer in the Streets provide sustainable free youth soccer programs that cultivate change, education, and empower youth.

“Without the efforts from all the players and sponsors at ATL Champions League 2019 this wouldn’t have been possible.”

This year, the event raised over $120,000 “Soccer in the Streets strives to build vibrant communities in historically marginalized areas and provides a pathway for the youth of metro Atlanta to become young leaders,” said Phil Hill, executive director of Soccer in the Streets.

ATL Champions League 2019 featured 12 teams and over 150 participants.

They represented eleven international clubs, plus Atlanta United, as they battled it out for the title both on and off the pitch. Leading the way in fundraising for the seventh year was the Liverpool side sponsored by Fado, raising a team total of  $23,261.

Atlanta United Supporters came in a close second with $21,727. The Supporters fundraising efforts consisted of members from The Faction, Resurgence, Footie Mob and  Terminus Legion.

And, Atlanta United added an additional donation of $10,000, matching up to that amount from the supporter’s group. 

The top fundraiser from the Liverpool side was Ben Butler. He raised more than $13,000 and for the seventh year was the top fundraiser in the event’s nine years. And as a team, the Liverpool side has led the fundraising portion of the tournament for the ninth year.

“It has been an honor to support Soccer in the Streets and fundraise for ATL Champions League,” said Butler, who is also a member of Soccer in the Streets’ Board of Directors and has been involved with the program for nine years. “I know that I am helping the youth of metro Atlanta by fundraising and playing the beautiful game of soccer.

“Behind the competitiveness and fun of the ATL Champions League, the most important aspect of the tournament is raising funds for Soccer in the Streets. The funds raised bring soccer to lower-income communities, providing sustainable free youth soccer programs that cultivate change, education, and empower youth.

Since 1989,Soccer in the Streets has used soccer as the medium to instill healthy lifestyles and positive choices to thousands of children in the metro Atlanta area. With a holistic approach, the organization centers its programs on character development, life skills, mentoring, and employability.

The local non-profit ensures all children have a chance to succeed on and off the field.

Since early 2016, Soccer in the Streets has provided upwards of 6,000 children with after school soccer-based educational programs in underserved communities.

Source: Soccer in the Streets – release / images