Saturday, July 23rd, 2022- Broad Ripple, Indiana. The United Soccer Coaches held a well-attended Urban Soccer Diploma at Broad Ripple High School, Indiana thanks to Target for sponsoring the course as well Indiana Public Schools, (IPS) and the Indiana Soccer Association for helping make the course a success.
The course was facilitated by Isang Jacob, United Soccer Coaches Instructor & J T Dorsey from United Soccer Foundation & United Soccer Coaches. The classroom session ran from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM followed by an afternoon field session that ended at 4:30 pm. Snacks and a free lunch were provided thanks to Target the course sponsors.
Participants were encouraged to bring pens and/or pencils. They each received a course curriculum on-site. For the field sessions, they brought in a water bottle, shin guards, practice gear and soccer shoes and an open mind.
At least 22 coaches were in attendance, some travelling from as far away as Chicago, Seymour, Kokomo, and around Indianapolis including the Indiana Soccer Director of Futsal, Justin Becht. In attendance were DOCs, coaches, and community volunteers.
The course kicked off with icebreakers in a classroom style learning session followed by on the court drills and skill development. Participants had a lot to learn and took advantage of the opportunity to fully participate and acquire some new skills in a fun filled and engaging learner conducive environment.
The afternoon field session was structured differently from the classroom style learning. Trainers were removed to create free play and allow the game to become the teacher, a strategy that cultivated great teamwork and positive feedback in a fun, caring & exciting environment.
“The reason for the Urban Soccer Diploma is to catch coaches & players that are not in the traditional soccer setting that still have the desire to play the game and to afford them the opportunity to remain connected with the game. The key thing is not to have anyone isolated or left out of the game because of the Pay-To-Pay model. We are thankful to the US Soccer foundation, Target, Indiana Soccer & IPS for allowing this to happen” said Isang Jacob, United Soccer Coachers Instructor
“The Urban Soccer Diploma is a collaboration of the United Soccer Coaches and US Soccer Foundation to address the gaps that exist in the sport. The big goal is to make the game available to all kids by investing in community resources in the form of informed & sound coaches that teach the game and become mentors to the kids.” stated J.T. Dorsey, United Soccer Foundation & United Soccer Coaches Trainer.
The Urban Soccer Diploma focuses on how coaches can use soccer as a vehicle for social change in communities where practices may be part of an after-school program or run on a non-traditional player space. The course curriculum, co-created with the aid of the US Soccer Foundation, highlights community assets that help lift-up communities that may have high incidence of trauma, low-income populations, and areas where athletes may fall victim to the pay to play model that plagues youth sports. This creates the opportunity to learn, discuss, and strategize how to create community change through soccer.