By Jason Longshore | Deputy Director
The fall of 2010 was a great season for Soccer in the Streets at McLendon Elementary. We have been able to build on the progress we have made so far, and plant the seeds for even more growth this spring!
25 kids out of the 100 registered were able to play organized league soccer in addition to the afterschool program. They played in the Decatur-DeKalb YMCA league thanks to the support of the DDY. Principal Lloyd McFarlane has been great, he coaches the team in the league and has been actively involved in growing the program and using soccer to benefit his students.
More than anything, this response from a parent shows how effective this program has been...
“I have to stay at that school [McLendon] just so that he can play soccer. I’ve been thinking of moving out of that area, but I’m staying at that school just because of soccer. It’s boosted up his self-esteem, and he’s just excited about the game. He’s learned what soccer is all about, the games, the rules, I think it’s done a lot for him, really, overall. Before [PCS] he was very quiet, kind of withdrawn, kind of passive and things like that. Now, he’s more outwardly talking, expressing himself about the game with his team leaders, and I think its disciplined him a little bit more too, because he’s learning a little bit more about following the rules with a team, but I think that’s helped him with other discipline, you know, with discipline at home around other areas…. [before PCS] he was more, with his self-esteem, he was kind of quiet, and didn’t have the, really, confidence he needed; he’s a very smart guy, and he’s good in school, he’s got A’s and B’s, but he was never outwardly talking about his grades or how he was doing in school, but since he’s been on the team and they’ve been winning, he’s always been saying ‘Mama, we’re the best in Georgia, we’re going to win the championship!,” and all of that, he’s just been very excited about being a part of something [PCS] I think is really good for the community, I really do, I think it’s really good.”
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By Jason Longshore | Deputy Director
By Jason Longshore | Deputy Director
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