Seattle Sounders FC is doing more than winning games and building on a huge fan following in the region. By using its visibility and forging partnerships with companies like Starbucks and HomeStreet Bank, Sounders FC is using the power of soccer to share the importance of values, discipline and community.
For former Sounders FC player Roger Levesque, the mission could not be clearer. “Since Day One, community has been very important to the organization. It is something we live and breathe,” he says. After being named Sounders’ director of community outreach in November 2014, Levesque has worked alongside the rest of the team to develop strong partnerships and programs for those who need it most.
United in Green is the platform for all of the programs offered in the Seattle community. With the growth of the game of soccer in underserved schools, barriers are removed, giving kids a positive environment in which they can thrive while learning the importance of teamwork.
Programs like Soccer for Success focus on combating the childhood obesity epidemic by promoting healthy lifestyles in low-income communities and arming kids with the tools to make positive eating choices.
This year Sounders FC is partnering with Street Soccer to emphasize helping homeless individuals by teaching valuable skills that can lead to success both on and off the field.
“We have worked hard to shift the focus to be more mission driven,” says Levesque of the various programs. Of the team he says, “Players are always accessible
and happy to be involved.”
Seattle Sounders FC is showing the community that soccer is more than just a game. It can pay huge dividends in our schools and our communities. It can also provide life lessons and be a tool that empowers all of us to go above and beyond the “full 90.”
For more information or ways to get involved, please visit
soundersfc.com/community-outreach.
ANDREA LERUM