The Aurora University men's soccer team took time out of their athletic and academic schedules this spring to help the local community. Members of Spartan men's team spent part of the week of April 20 through April
26 performing three various acts of community service.
The week of service began on
April 20 as the men's soccer program volunteered with Chicago TopSoccer, a community based-training organization for young athletes with disabilities. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of playing soccer to any boy or girl, regardless of disability. The men's soccer program participated as "buddies" where each player was partnered up with one of the children and played various soccer games. In addition to playing, they were able to meet with families and help interact with all of the children.
During the week, the men's team continued their pen pal relationship with the first graders at Lowrie Elementary School in Elgin, Ill. Each AU soccer player received a letter from a first grader at Lowrie. Letters ranged from questions about being a college student, to favorite soccer team, to favorite position - even pictures were attached to some of the letters. In response, each AU soccer player responded back via a letter to their first grader pen pal during the week of service.
The service week wrapped up on Friday,
April 26 with team members traveling to Lowrie Elementary School in Elgin, Ill. As part of their visit, the soccer players met with their pen pal partners, talked with
them about being a college student, and played soccer with them. The visit allowed the first graders to meet with some of their pen pal partners while also talking about the advantages of attending college. Lowrie is part of the
No Excuses program in Elgin that strongly encourages their students to pursue college.
"As a program, we stress that we have a responsibility to involve ourselves in our community in any way that we can, and this service project allows us to reach outside of the campus to make a difference," said Head Coach Amir St. Clair. "We see these service opportunities as a chance to use our innate gifts to help others and truly make a difference in the lives of those around us."
The Spartan men's soccer team opens up the home portion of the 2013 season on Sunday, September 1 when they host Cornell College. Game time is set for 11:30 a.m. on Vago Field.
