If you walk through certain neighborhoods in New York, Charlotte, or Sacramento, you might spot something unexpected: a group of kids—sometimes adults—kicking around a soccer ball with a kind of energy that’s hard to bottle. This isn’t just a pick-up game. This is Street Soccer USA in action.
The Humble Beginnings: A Soup Kitchen, Two Brothers, and a Big Idea
Street Soccer USA (SSUSA) didn’t start in a fancy boardroom or a million-dollar stadium. It began in 2009, when brothers Lawrence and Rob Cann looked around a homeless soup kitchen in Charlotte, North Carolina, and saw potential where others saw hardship. They formed a soccer team, drawing in people who might otherwise have been overlooked: the homeless, people in recovery, kids from tough neighborhoods. What happened next was bigger than a game—it was a movement.
Soccer With a Purpose: Fighting Poverty, Building Trust
The Cann brothers believed soccer could be more than just a sport. In their hands, it became a tool to fight poverty and build stronger, more connected communities. Today, SSUSA has grown into a national nonprofit with programs in more than 14 cities. The mission? To fight poverty and strengthen communities through soccer, giving people the skills and confidence to tackle life’s biggest challenges.
But don’t be fooled—this isn’t just about scoring goals on the field. SSUSA’s programs are designed to help participants develop resilience, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills. These are the things that matter when the final whistle blows and you’re back out in the world, facing real life.
A Curriculum Built on Play—and Real Results
Street Soccer USA’s approach is refreshingly simple: make the game accessible, keep it fun, and let the lessons come naturally. Their play-based curriculum focuses on social-emotional learning, and the results speak for themselves. Over 75,000 participants have come through their programs, with measurable improvements in school performance (better math and language arts scores), lower absenteeism, and, perhaps most importantly, a boost in self-confidence and social skills.
More Than Just a Game: National Recognition and Signature Events
It’s not just the players who have taken notice. SSUSA has received the ESPN Sport Humanitarian Award, the NYU Sport & Business Society’s Philanthropy Award, and ringing endorsements from community leaders across the country. Their signature events—the Times Square Cup and the SSUSA Cup Series—draw participants from all corners, proving that street soccer can bring together people who might never have crossed paths otherwise.
Changing the Narrative in Underserved Communities
What sets SSUSA apart isn’t just its reach, but its focus. The organization works in neighborhoods where opportunity is often in short supply. By creating safe, supportive spaces, SSUSA gives kids and adults a sense of belonging and a reason to believe in themselves. In places where hope can feel like a luxury, a soccer ball and a supportive team can be game-changing.
Stories That Stick With You
Behind every statistic is a story. The kid who found confidence and a new group of friends. The adult who used soccer as a stepping stone out of homelessness. The community that rallied around a new street soccer park in the Bronx, turning an empty lot into a field of dreams. These aren’t just success stories—they’re proof that change is possible, one goal at a time.
The Road Ahead
As Street Soccer USA looks to the future, their message is clear: soccer can do more than fill stadiums. It can change lives, build communities, and fight poverty from the ground up. If you want to see what real impact looks like, look past the bright lights of professional leagues and check out a street soccer match in your own city. You might just find the heart of the game beating strongest where you least expect it.
For more on their mission, programs, and the latest news, visit Street Soccer USA’s official site https://www.streetsoccerusa.org
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The Humble Beginnings: A Soup Kitchen, Two Brothers, and a Big Idea
Street Soccer USA (SSUSA) didn’t start in a fancy boardroom or a million-dollar stadium. It began in 2009, when brothers Lawrence and Rob Cann looked around a homeless soup kitchen in Charlotte, North Carolina, and saw potential where others saw hardship. They formed a soccer team, drawing in people who might otherwise have been overlooked: the homeless, people in recovery, kids from tough neighborhoods. What happened next was bigger than a game—it was a movement.
Soccer With a Purpose: Fighting Poverty, Building Trust
The Cann brothers believed soccer could be more than just a sport. In their hands, it became a tool to fight poverty and build stronger, more connected communities. Today, SSUSA has grown into a national nonprofit with programs in more than 14 cities. The mission? To fight poverty and strengthen communities through soccer, giving people the skills and confidence to tackle life’s biggest challenges.
But don’t be fooled—this isn’t just about scoring goals on the field. SSUSA’s programs are designed to help participants develop resilience, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills. These are the things that matter when the final whistle blows and you’re back out in the world, facing real life.
A Curriculum Built on Play—and Real Results
Street Soccer USA’s approach is refreshingly simple: make the game accessible, keep it fun, and let the lessons come naturally. Their play-based curriculum focuses on social-emotional learning, and the results speak for themselves. Over 75,000 participants have come through their programs, with measurable improvements in school performance (better math and language arts scores), lower absenteeism, and, perhaps most importantly, a boost in self-confidence and social skills.
More Than Just a Game: National Recognition and Signature Events
It’s not just the players who have taken notice. SSUSA has received the ESPN Sport Humanitarian Award, the NYU Sport & Business Society’s Philanthropy Award, and ringing endorsements from community leaders across the country. Their signature events—the Times Square Cup and the SSUSA Cup Series—draw participants from all corners, proving that street soccer can bring together people who might never have crossed paths otherwise.
Changing the Narrative in Underserved Communities
What sets SSUSA apart isn’t just its reach, but its focus. The organization works in neighborhoods where opportunity is often in short supply. By creating safe, supportive spaces, SSUSA gives kids and adults a sense of belonging and a reason to believe in themselves. In places where hope can feel like a luxury, a soccer ball and a supportive team can be game-changing.
Stories That Stick With You
Behind every statistic is a story. The kid who found confidence and a new group of friends. The adult who used soccer as a stepping stone out of homelessness. The community that rallied around a new street soccer park in the Bronx, turning an empty lot into a field of dreams. These aren’t just success stories—they’re proof that change is possible, one goal at a time.
The Road Ahead
As Street Soccer USA looks to the future, their message is clear: soccer can do more than fill stadiums. It can change lives, build communities, and fight poverty from the ground up. If you want to see what real impact looks like, look past the bright lights of professional leagues and check out a street soccer match in your own city. You might just find the heart of the game beating strongest where you least expect it.
For more on their mission, programs, and the latest news, visit Street Soccer USA’s official site https://www.streetsoccerusa.org
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