Daily News

Soccer Clinic for Refugee and Immigrant Youth Slated for June 28 to July 2

SPRINGFIELD — Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts has partnered with Soccer without Borders and Springfield College to host a first-of-its-kind soccer clinic in Springfield. The week-long clinic will be held June 28 to July 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Springfield College for 50 refugee and immigrant Springfield high-school students.

The soccer clinic will provide a positive summer experience for refugee and immigrant students who attend Springfield public schools. For some students, this will be the first in-person activity of the school year, and for others new to the city or the U.S., it is an opportunity to meet peers in person and find common ground.

“As one of the few global languages, soccer has the power to shape the world for the better,” said Bruno Contreras, Soccer without Borders Boston program director. “Soccer Without Borders (SWB) uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing underserved youth in the U.S. and abroad with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success. SWB Boston has been serving the refugee and immigrant community in and around East Boston since 2012 with a culture of welcoming and belonging that supports newcomers to build a new home.”

JFS and Springfield College are excited to have Soccer without Borders make its debut in Springfield. The clinic will bring together youth and coaches from diverse cultural backgrounds to create community, exercise, build leadership, and practice their English-language skills. Over the course of the week, teens will have the opportunity to foster teamwork, connect and build friendships with other teens, and, of course, have fun.