The importance of increasing soccer access to children in the United States

By |2023-01-27T21:57:23+00:00January 27th, 2023|News, Soccer|

Soccer, also known as football, is the world's most popular sport and has a long history of fostering teamwork, discipline, and physical fitness. Despite its global popularity, soccer has yet to gain the same level of popularity in the United States. However, there are many reasons why it is important to increase the participation of children in soccer in the United States. Soccer is an excellent form of exercise and can help children develop physical fitness and coordination. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Soccer provides an enjoyable way for children to meet this recommendation and promote a healthy lifestyle. Soccer is an excellent form of exercise for children as it involves a wide range of physical movements, including running, sprinting, jumping, and changing direction, which can help to improve cardiovascular fitness, coordination, and overall physical fitness. Additionally, soccer is a team sport, which can help to promote teamwork, social interaction, and a sense of community. Furthermore, it is widely played and enjoyed all over the world, making it easy for children to find opportunities to play and enjoy the

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From Memphis to Qatar: Neighborhood soccer program scores big again

By |2022-11-11T23:20:27+00:00November 11th, 2022|News|

It’s a soccer story only the irrepressible Ted Lasso, TV’s likeable and unlikely soccer coach, would think was possible. Teenage sons and daughters of immigrants and refugees in Memphis form makeshift neighborhood soccer teams that win a state championship and then a World Cup. “Well, you say impossible, but all I hear is, ‘I’m possible,’ ” Lasso, the American football coach who moves to England to coach a multicultural pro soccer team, would say. Improbable, yes, but not impossible. The boys’ team from Play Where You Stay (PWYS), an inclusive, inexpensive, neighborhood-based soccer program, did win the 2021 Division 2 State Cup last fall. Now, three members of the PWYS girls team are flying to Qatar Thursday, Oct. 6, to play for Team USA in the Street Child World Cup. Yessica Muñoz, Brenda Gonzalez and Marlene Casas Reyes will join three teenagers from Chicago and four from New York to compete for the cup with girls teams from 12 others countries. The Memphis girls, all U.S.-born daughters of Mexican immigrants, will play at some of the same facilities that will host the 2022 World Cup, which kicks off in late November. They also will participate in a General Assembly organized to call attention to

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Tryouts for our competitive boys teams will be May 30th – June 10th!

By |2022-05-10T14:54:01+00:00May 10th, 2022|News|

Come join our Competitive Boys teams this Fall! We're excited to announce that we will be having tryouts for our three boys competitive teams soon! While Fall seems like a long time away, now is the time to plan and prepare for the 2022 Fall soccer season. With each season we work to improve our program and increase the opportunities to expose players to high-quality training and competition. We will have three teams! Please fill out our player interest form at playwhereyoustay.org/competitive and we will get back to you with tryouts' location and time for your team. Tryouts will go from May 30th until June 10th. Check out all the info below and share it with your friends, families, and soccer fans. Our programming is free/low cost and our mission is to create a future in which every child has a chance to grow up with the world’s game. Questions? Contact us at (901)864-2800 or at learn@playwhereyoustay.org Interest Form Your donations support our coaches! If you wish to donate to Play Where You Stay and help us cover coaching and equipment costs, please do it by using the button below. Donate here

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Expanding and Keeping Up the Great Work

By |2022-05-10T14:50:14+00:00May 9th, 2022|News|

New updates on your impact As one of Play Where You Stay's most impactful supporters, your past contributions have allowed PWYS to grow into a premier sports organization that makes soccer in Memphis more accessible, inclusive, competitive, and joyful. To share our appreciation, we will be reaching out four times per year to share details of PWYS news, programs, and initiatives. Thank you for being a part! In March, players from our Boys and Girls Middle School teams joined a private practice session with former professional Soccer player, Tim Howard. Play Where You Stay's Work with Schools When Play Where You Stay was founded in 2018, programming focused on bringing soccer to Memphis neighborhoods for children ages 5 to 11 by creating an after-school barrier-free opportunity to learn, play, and exercise in nearby lots and parks. In 2019, we launched a competitive program for children ages 12 to 18 to supplement middle and high school team sport experiences with skilled off-season “club” play and competitive training. In the fall of 2021, Play Where You Stay supported Snowden's Middle School girl's team. We learned that school teams face challenges finding skilled soccer coaches and accessing appropriate equipment to ensure players maximize their

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2021 was amazing! Help us grown in 2022!

By |2022-05-10T14:52:37+00:00May 9th, 2022|News|

PWYS UPDATE Thank you for sharing this incredible past year with us. During this holiday season, join us in reflecting on some of our favorite moments of the last year. Instructional Soccer This year we brought the world's greatest game to parks and greenspaces all around the city. Special thanks to our partners at Klondike Park, Gaston Park, Chandler Park, For The Kingdom, Binghampton Park, Parkway Village Elementary, Gaisman Park, and 2nd Baptist Church. Game Day Our Game Days were a great opportunity for all our players ages 5-11 to put into action all the skills learned during our instructional seasons! 3v3 Adult Fundraiser Tournament We hosted a 3v3 adult tournament at Klondike Park to raise funds for our Instructional program for kids ages 5-11. It was an amazing day with a lot of 3v3 soccer! We welcomed our first Intern from Christian Brothers University! Jacob assisted in all program daily operations, communications with parents, coaches, and partners and helped develop strategies for growing the organization. PWYS Competitive We had a break-out year for our State Cup Winners and we look forward to more seasons with all of our players. Read more about the season in the Daily Memphian. High School Boys Team Middle School Boys Team

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Soccer for Everyone, PWYS wins state cup

By |2021-12-08T01:48:58+00:00December 8th, 2021|News|

The quarter-final soccer match for the 2021 Fall State Cup was about to begin in Murfreesboro, and the team from Memphis had a problem. Tennessee State Soccer Association rules require players to wear socks that match the color of their jerseys. That helps referees keep watch over a game played primarily with legs and feet. The team of teenagers from Memphis, Play Where You Stay, or PWYS, wore black jerseys, but only seven players were wearing black socks. So PWYS, competing in its first state cup tournament, had to start the match on that cold, rainy last Saturday in October four players short. They put seven players on the field instead of the normal 11. No matter. This is a team organized to counter the “pay-to-play” youth sports machine that favors kids with more family resources. This is a team that includes players from 14 Shelby County schools, with links to 10 countries on four continents. This is a team of Black, brown and white sons of refugees and immigrants as well as a few middle-class parents. This is a team of young men who have endured and overcome events exceedingly more traumatic than starting a big soccer match short-footed. “These kids have met every

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STATE CHAMPS! We brought the State Cup back to Memphis!

By |2021-11-08T01:02:32+00:00November 8th, 2021|News|

In a thrilling overtime game against Chatanooga FC in Murfreesboro on Sunday, our Play Where You Stay High School Boys competitive team won the State Championship tournament! They will now advance to the 2022 US Youth Soccer Region III President’s Cup Tournament in Dallas, Texas in June! This win was the result of an incredible effort by players, parents, funders, and partners involved in both developmental and competitive Play Where You Stay programs since our founding in 2018. Your involvement over these last several years has allowed us to build successful programs that reduce barriers like transportation, money, and time in accessing excellent sports training. Why this matters: Sports participation during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with significant mental and physical health benefits in adolescents. Those who returned to sport participation in fall 2020 reported lower anxiety and depression symptoms (study). More than 40% of families said their community-based sports provider has either closed, merged, or returned with limited capacity following the COVID pandemic (study). There has been a disparity in sports participation during COVID-19, with white youth spending 174% more time playing games than Asian youth, 46% more than Hispanic/Latino youth, and 39% more than Black youth (study). Play

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Our 2nd Fall Season for players ages 5-11 start in two weeks! Let your friends know and save your spot today!

By |2021-10-06T21:18:00+00:00October 6th, 2021|News, Soccer|

PWYS UPDATE Our 2nd Fall Season starts in two weeks! Check all the details below and save your spot! We are excited to announce our 2nd 3v3 Fall Season for players ages 5-11! This 4-week season will start on October 18th and will end on November 13th. Practices will be Monday - Thursday from 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM. We will have two Game Days on Saturday mornings throughout the season. You can sign up for any of the six parks/fields: - Klondike Park (1235 Brown Ave, Memphis, TN 38107) - Gaston Park (1046 S 3rd St, Memphis, TN 38106) - 2nd Baptist Church (4680 Walnut Grove Rd, Memphis, TN 38117) *4:15 PM - 5:00 PM - Chandler Park (1037 Cummings St, Memphis, TN 38106) - For The Kingdom (4100 Raleigh Millington Rd, Memphis, TN 38128) - Gaisman Park (4223 Macon Rd, Memphis, TN 38122) Sign up at www.playwhereyoustay.org/sign-up. We have a suggested fee of $10 per week to help cover our coaching costs but no one who can’t pay will be turned away! If you have any additional questions, please call/text (901)864-2800 or email learn@playwhereyoustay.org Sign up here! Your donations support our coaches! If you wish to donate to Play Where You Stay and help us cover coaching

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Our Fall Season for boys and girls ages 5-11 will start in 22 days! // ¡Nuestra temporada de otoño para niños y niñas de 5 a 11 años comenzará en 22 días!

By |2021-08-16T22:56:28+00:00August 16th, 2021|News, Soccer|

PWYS UPDATE Our 1st Fall Season will start on September 7th! Check all the details below and save your spot! We are excited to announce our 1st 3v3 Fall Season for players ages 5-11! This 4-week season will start on September 7th and will end on October 2nd. Practices will be Monday - Thursday from 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM. We will have two Game Days on Saturday mornings (September 18th and October 2nd) and the locations will be announced throughout the season. You can sign up for any of the six parks/fields: - Klondike Park (1235 Brown Ave, Memphis, TN 38107) - Gaston Park (1046 S 3rd St, Memphis, TN 38106) - 2nd Baptist Church (4680 Walnut Grove Rd, Memphis, TN 38117) - Chandler Park (1037 Cummings St, Memphis, TN 38106) - For The Kingdom (4100 Raleigh Millington Rd, Memphis, TN 38128) - Gaisman Park (4223 Macon Rd, Memphis, TN 38122) Sign up at www.playwhereyoustay.org/sign-up. We have a suggested fee of $10 per week to help cover our coaching costs but no one who can’t pay will be turned away! If you have any additional questions, please call/text (901)864-2800 or email learn@playwhereyoustay.org Sign up here!   PWYS UPDATE ¡Nuestra temporada de

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Our Fall season will start on September 7th! // ¡Nuestra temporada de otoño comenzará el 7 de septiembre!

By |2021-08-12T22:41:56+00:00August 12th, 2021|News, Soccer|

PWYS UPDATE Registration for our 1st Fall Season is now open! Check all the details below and save your spot! We are excited to announce our 1st 3v3 Fall Season for players ages 5-11! This 4-week season will start on September 7th and will end on October 2nd. Practices will be Monday - Thursday from 4:30 PM - 5:15 PM. We will have two Game Days on Saturday mornings (September 18th and October 2nd) and the locations will be announced throughout the season. You can sign up for any of the six parks/fields: - Klondike Park (1235 Brown Ave, Memphis, TN 38107) - Gaston Park (1046 S 3rd St, Memphis, TN 38106) - 2nd Baptist Church (4680 Walnut Grove Rd, Memphis, TN 38117) - Chandler Park (1037 Cummings St, Memphis, TN 38106) - For The Kingdom (4100 Raleigh Millington Rd, Memphis, TN 38128) - Gaisman Park (4223 Macon Rd, Memphis, TN 38122) Sign up at www.playwhereyoustay.org/sign-up. We have a suggested fee of $10 per week to help cover our coaching costs but no one who can’t pay will be turned away! If you have any additional questions, please call/text (901)864-2800 or email learn@playwhereyoustay.org Sign up here! Your donations support our coaches! If you wish

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