WASHINGTON, DC (September 17, 2009) - D.C. United and its non-profit arm, United for D.C., today announced the fall session kickoff of United Soccer Club. United Soccer Club begins on Monday, September 21 and the fall session will include eight full weeks of practice and six weeks of games. United for D.C. and the U.S. Soccer Foundation work together to support their missions to promote youth soccer in economically disadvantaged urban communities.
Through its partnership with the Department of Recreation, the Boys & Girls Club, D.C. Public Schools, Montgomery County Recreation Department and Arlington Recreation Department, the fall session will kickoff at ten sites, including new sites Clubhouse #14 in Ward 6, Orr Elementary School in Ward 8, Long Branch Community Center in Montgomery County and Parkview Recreation Center in Ward 1. These four new sites will join existing sites THEARC, Barry Farm Recreation Center and Ketcham Elementary School in Ward 8, Turkey Thicket Recreation Center in Ward 5, Harrison Recreation Center in Ward 3, and the Drew and Carver Recreation Centers in Arlington.
The fall practice season begins September 21 with two after school sessions weekly at each site. Games will be played from October 9 to November 6 on Fridays from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Over the course of the program, each team will play five games with 20-minute halves in a seven vs. seven format. United Soccer Club will hold a season-ending tournament at the end of the eight weeks, on November 21 on either the U.S. Soccer Foundation Mini Pitch or at RFK Stadium’s Auxiliary Field.
United Soccer Club was born from a request in Ward 8 for opportunities for children to play organized soccer. In the spring of 2006, United for D.C. launched its own after school soccer program, in partnership with D.C. Parks and Recreation at Barry Farm Recreation Center. The program ran for eight weeks, teaching fundamental skills and hosting games and scrimmages.
United Soccer Club is one of the many community outreach ventures of United for D.C. Through the Kicks for Kids program, thousands of underprivileged children will have an opportunity to watch United play this season alone. United Reads, currently presented in six DC elementary schools, distributed nearly 8,000 books during player visits to classrooms throughout the spring.
For more information on these programs or how fans can contribute time or money to these worthy causes, please contact United for D.C. at 202-587-5000.
Broadcasting and P.A. Request: When speaking of the organization, please refer to the team as either “D.C. United” or “United,” but not “the D.C. United” or “the United.” We appreciate your cooperation.
Doug Hicks,
dhicks@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5448,
Boris Flores,
bflores@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5452,
Kyle Sheldon,
ksheldon@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5450 or
Cristina Cruz,
ccruz@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5440
