US Youth Soccer releases grant applications for TOPSoccer and Soccer Start program
Organization nears $2 million in total grant support
US Youth Soccer announces the 2008 US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer and Soccer Start grant applications are now available on USYouthSoccer.org. The deadline for both grants has been set for March 18, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. CT.
Last year, as a part of the 10th grant cycle and in partnership with adidas, US Youth Soccer awarded $85,000 in grants. Grants were first made available in 1998 with nearly $2 million given to date. US Youth Soccer has issued 380 awards to groups of various sizes across the United States. Specifically for TOPSoccer and Soccer Start programs, these grants continue to assist in developing soccer programs and furthering The Game for ALL Kids!®.
US Youth Soccer's Soccer Start is designed to introduce the sport of soccer to youngsters living in communities not yet served by existing clubs and leagues. Focused on making soccer available to lower-income children in underserved communities, Soccer Start provides soccer training and administrative guidance to players and organizations that might otherwise not be exposed to the sport.
US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by youth soccer association volunteers. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, who has a mental or physical disability.
"We believe US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer and Soccer Start programs further our mission of fostering the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of America's youth through the sport of soccer at all levels of age and competition," said Jim Cosgrove, executive director of US Youth Soccer. "These are two outstanding programs and each year we look forward to assisting the opportunities that are provided to youth across the country."
For further inquiries regarding these grants or programs, contact US Youth Soccer Membership Services Specialist, Matt Moran at mmoran@usyouthsoccer.org.
Soccer Start is designed to introduce the sport of soccer to youngsters living in communities not yet served by existing clubs and leagues. Focused on making soccer available to lower-income children in underserved communities, Soccer Start provides soccer training and administrative guidance to players and organizations who might otherwise not be exposed to the sport. Soccer Start also helps new programs find the funding and equipment to begin and then to expand their activities. 
