WASHINGTON — Sports are great for kids, but as every parent knows, they’re expensive. On average a family shells out between $700 and $1000 a year per child per sport.
That’s why the Open Goal Project is on a mission to level the playing field and give children who might not be able to afford it a chance to play high level soccer.
Open Goal Project is a registered 501 (c) (3) organization that started about six years ago. It attacks the "Pay to Play" structure that leaves so many Black and brown children on the sidelines.
The group creates opportunities for young players from low-income families and underserved communities to access high-level soccer and grow with the game, on and off the field.
Amir Lowery is the group's co-founder and joined Allison on a Zoom to talk about the group and its mission to level the playing field.
“We were determined to find a solution to this issue. So, our soccer club, will be free to play for anybody who participates or no fees," he said.
The District of Columbia Football Club’s Free Play program works because of a network of donors, support from the city and local businesses who help the puzzle pieces come together.
It's working hard to close the gap and runs summer camps, financial literacy training and college ID camps that give high school players the chance to compete in front of college coaches.
"The cost oftentimes puts a cap on that upward mobility for our young people. So, we want to remove all those ceilings, and make sure that as many people as possible can ascend to those higher levels of not only sport but using that sport as a vehicle to get to higher education for increased life opportunities in general," Lowery said. "There is a real community atmosphere with a focus on improving and getting better."
Thanks again to Easterns Automotive Group.
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