by Mike Herman

Created on: April 18, 2009   Last Updated: April 19, 2009

Why soccer and why soccer for social change?

Soccer gives us a unique window of opportunity to reach and develop children and families that would not normally have access to such academic and development opportunities. There are several reasons for this including;

Soccer is the most popular/universal sport/game in the world. There are six billion people on the planet, with thousands of things that separate us from knowing and understanding one another. Language, distance and cultural differences are just a few things that build walls and keep us from getting to know our fellow human beings. How are you supposed to forge relationships when you can't even ask somebody how they're doing that day?

Despite cultural and language barriers, there are many things that all people share, no matter where they are. Soccer is one of the ways that we can bridge the gaps between cultures. It's the most popular sport in the world. According to the sport's international governing body, FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), there are 265 million male and female players, in addition to 5 million referees and officials, making a grand total of 270 million people - or four per cent of the world's population - who are actively involved in the game of soccer. It is also estimated that there 3.5 billion soccer fans around the world.

Soccer is a game that connects all ethnicities despite the numerous differences that we have.

In the US, soccer hasn't been utilized to its full potential. There is so much potential in a sport that has such universal appeal. Unfortunately, in the US soccer is seen as a recreational sport or a highly competitive one, with little bridging the two extremes.

The competitive side in the US really seems to be only about winning. We are desperate to find the best coaches, the most prestigious clubs, the biggest tournaments, and the best college recruiting companies.

We have failed to leverage soccer's great potential in terms of youth development, race relations, economic opportunities and community development. This is especially true since so many ethnic and immigrant kids play this sport! In Europe there are programs, non-profit organizations, and educational campaigns all utilizing soccer as a means to address racism, school attendance, etc. In Africa, there are even more agencies and organizations using the vehicle of soccer to do great things like fight HIV/AIDS, promote literacy, form a school, mentor kids, etc.

We can do much better using

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