Homeless Soccer Tournament Returns to D.C.
The Street Soccer USA Cup is back in town. The annual homeless soccer tournament features 18 teams of homeless players from across the country, competing for the national championship. The tournament is run by Street Soccer USA, a non-profit that provides job and educational opportunities to homeless people, as well as a sports program that serves as a platform for awareness. The organization provides room and board for players through donations and sponsors while they are participating in the soccer tournament.
Local branches of the group pick the players from each city. Players will also compete for a chance to represent the United States at the Homeless World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Homeless World Cup aims to raise awareness of global homelessness; it was the focus of the documentary film Kicking It.
The tournament begins today with a "parade of states" and celebrity kickoff, and concludes Sunday when the championship game will be held and the national roster will be announced. The event is at the Washington Kastles Stadium at the site of the old convention center on 11th and H Streets NW. Tickets are free. (If you go, don't be surprised if the atmosphere reminds you of RFK—a contingent from D.C. United fan club the Barra Brava will be there tonight, supporting the D.C. team against New York.)
Photo by Joel Mason-Gaines
12:33 pm
What a bunch of BULLSHIT and a waste of money that should go to sevices for the homeless!, Christ how asinine!
7:33 pm
WTF is a homeless soccer and are they represented by a UNION???
LAAAWD knows I ain't looking forward to no HOMO-BOWL, dayuum, there is a HOMO BOWL, right WCP?!?
1:33 am
This is a great event...the players get services through the programs that sponsor the teams in varies cities, it build their spirits/gives them hope, they work hard, have fun...they are representing their city and then a select group represent the U.S.A. in the World Cup...you should look into the history and success of this...how many of the men and women get off the streets...how it has changed their lives and check out the documentary Kicking It. The Cann brothers have helped so many homeless men and women...changed lives.
9:57 am
Sorry 'mike', I think this money would be better spent on mental health service, including addiction services and on a program to help them re-acclimate back into society with job training and other things!
1:53 pm
Rick - you seem a little bitter about something. Do you work with the homeless at all? I don't see how you think this takes that much money to put on. A lot of time/money is donated I think. They're not all addicts and mental health sufferers; some of them need a sense of community and a spark in their life. What's wrong with that?
6:41 pm
'peter', I am far from being as you call it bitter and yes I have worked with homeless men, women and families. This is a Disneyland approach to a very serious problem in our society! Sense of community with a spark of life won't even buy you a candy bar and the majority of the homeless are suffering from addiction and mental health issues as a 2009 study by Dept. of Veteran Affairs pointed out!
9:18 pm
Rick, I urge you to look into the Street Soccer USA and even stop by tomorrow and talk to the players, coaches, service providers. Ask them if it has benefited them? Check out the website below....
http://www.streetsoccerusa.org/
and the 2009 study you are referring to is for Veterans....nationally among all those who are homeless the leading causes are - lack of affordable housing, lack of health care, domestic violence, poor paying jobs and mental health/substance abuse addiction.
Check out http://www.nationalhomeless.org as well....
9:52 pm
go on RICKY, you know how much you like DARK MEAT, there will be plenty I will assume!!
I do agree that ATHLETICS/SPORTS do spark interest, but when the GAME is over LIFE will not!