[Sports\Soccer]
Nicole Hercules, Incoming Chair of the Black Soccer Coaches Association: “This clinic is unique, in that it is bringing together some of our best African American and Black coaches in the US and the world to provide free training, instruction, and access to underserved communities in DC and Raleigh, in a unified mission and vision. The people involved aren’t just DC-centric talent, they’re globally recognized individuals that will actively make a difference in these children’s lives with their participation.”
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Soccer star Bill Hamid will be among those participating in soccer clinics meant to drive interest among African-American youth.
Relevent Sports Group, through its subsidiary BRC, yesterday announced a series of free soccer clinics focused on growing African American youth participation.
The first series of clinics will be hosted in Washington DC and Cary, North Carolina throughout October and will be led by elite coaches and professional players. They will be open to all boys and girls ages 6-18 years old.
Known for combating the traditional pay-to-play system that eliminates opportunities in the sport for many underserved areas in the United States, BRC hopes these clinics– focused specifically on Black communities in DC and Raleigh– will introduce the best in market soccer curricula, empower youth participants to lead the sport into the future, and provide a platform and sustainability for legacy programming in the areas for years to come.
Both clinics will be three hours total, including two hours of field instruction followed by a one-hour autograph and photo session and player meet and greet. All programming is completely free of charge and inclusive of all skill levels.
The professional players and coaches participating in the clinic include and are not limited to: US National team and DC United player Bill Hamid, former US National Team player, Orlando B Sporting Director and Onxy Elite owner Oguchi Onyewu, Premier Academy Center founder and Leicester City scout Sully Hamid, National Champion-winning coach with Howard University, Pioneer of the Black Soccer Association and Redemption Song subject Lincoln Phillips, Futsal America director Kab Hakim, Open Goal Project and former MLS player Amir Lowery, Howard University Men’s coach, first Black American to play in the European League with Genk in Belgium and Former US National Team player Phillip Gyau, Lee Mt. Vernon Soccer Club director and former Nigerian Women’s National Team coach Sam Okpodu, McClean Soccer Club and former Washington Freedom coach Clyde Watson, PG Young Boys founder Most Ray, First African American Women’s National Team player and NAACP Centennial Youth Service Award winner Kimberly Crabbe, and former Howard University player and video producer Jerome Hyde.
“This clinic is unique, in that it is bringing together some of our best African American and Black coaches in the US and the world to provide free training, instruction, and access to underserved communities in DC and Raleigh, in a unified mission and vision,” said Nicole Hercules, Incoming Chair of the Black Soccer Coaches Association and CEO of NMH Consulting. “The people involved aren’t just DC-centric talent, they’re globally recognized individuals that will actively make a difference in these children’s lives with their participation. We aim to build bridges for those who are otherwise excluded from soccer directly to our black soccer community where there are ample opportunities for participation and success.”
“We believe that every child, regardless of race or household income, deserves a chance to succeed in life,” said BRC Partner Brad Rothenberg. “These clinics provide Black and Hispanic communities with first rate soccer programming that will hopefully lead to a foundation of continued achievement on and off the pitch.”
Dates, timing, and locations are as follows:
• Washington DC: October 13, 9-1 PM ET, The Fields at RFK Campus
• Cary, NC: October 26, 10-3 PM ET, Wake Med Park
In addition to the free clinic, each player will receive a special jersey, soccer ball, water bottle, sack-pack, and autograph from professional soccer players from the region. Advance registration is not required to participate
About Relevent Sports Group
Relevent Sports Group (RSG) is the premier soccer events and media business in North America and Asia. RSG operates the International Champions Cup and Women’s International Champions Cup, the summer’s largest club tournament featuring the world’s best teams in iconic venues. Regarded as one of the most influential privatelyowned soccer companies internationally, RSG is focused on expanding its footprint, creating a year-round soccer platform including new properties, the ICC Futures tournament, Alianza de Futbol, the leading marketer and producer of Hispanic soccer programs in the U.S, and LaLiga North America, the first-of-its-kind joint venture with LaLiga to promote soccer in North America.
