WOMEN’S SOCCER MEMBERS RUN DREAM BIG! CLINIC FOR INNER-CITY YOUTHS

BOSTON, Mass. – On Thursday, April 20, members from the Emmanuel College women's soccer team ran a soccer clinic for inner-city youths sponsored by the Dream Big! organization at Madison Park Vocational Technical High School.

Founded in 2010, Dream Big! is a 501C3 Boston based non-profit organization with a mission to help girls from low-income situations achieve their dreams by providing them with the basic items and fees necessary to enable them to participate in sports and physical activities that contribute to their health, education and overall well-being.

Dream Big! partners with community sports organizations, social-service organizations, schools and community health centers to identify and fulfill the basic needs of girls from economically disadvantaged communities, in elementary, junior high and high school in order to help them engage in organized sports, recreation and physical activities.

Junior goalkeeper Victoria LaRoche (Hudson, N.H.) and freshmen midfielders Abba McKenelley (Middleton, Mass.) and Yona Kimball-Smith (Warwick, Mass.) represented the Saints and handled the organization components of running the two-hour session.

"All of the girls we worked with today were new to soccer, so it was a lot of fun to teach them some of the basics and incorporate drills and games to introduce them to sport," said LaRoche. "We wanted to set a good example so that the girls could get a good first impression of the sport, hopefully influencing them to want to pursue soccer further."

The Saints answered questions at the end of the clinic about what it is like to be a collegiate athlete and college sports in general.

"All of these girls are from the surrounding urban areas," said LaRoche. "Being able to introduce them to the broader idea of college was a great experience and overall, we are very grateful that the Emmanuel Soccer family could give back to the community."

To learn more about or donate to the Dream Big! organization visit http://www.dream-big.org/ .