Women's Soccer Unites Community to Benefit Soccer Without Borders

Soccer Without Borders Day Photo Gallery

Hanover, N.H. - The Dartmouth women's soccer team celebrated Soccer Without Borders Day this past Sunday during its win over New Hampshire.

The team warmed-up in commemorative Dartmouth Soccer - Soccer Without Borders partnership t-shirts and distributed information about the organization. Following the Big Green's win over UNH, approximately 45 local youth soccer players joined the Dartmouth players and coaches for a postgame clinic that featured stations of drills, tricks and small-sided games.

Dartmouth women's soccer alumnae and current players have been heavily involved with Soccer Without Borders, in particular with its project in Granada, Nicaragua. Assistant coach Mary McVeigh '03, a former All-American at Dartmouth, is the program director in Granada. Current seniors Ali Hubbard (Marshfield, Mass.), Becky Poskin (Leawood, Kan.) and Myra Sack (Wynnewood, Pa.) all spent three months in Granada last winter volunteering for the program and several other alumnae have donated time as well.

"We rarely get the chance to work with local youth during the fall season the way we do in the spring, so we were excited to be able to get out there with the kids on Sunday," said McVeigh. "It was a fun group, everyone enjoyed themselves for a good cause and hopefully learned a trick or two."

Soccer Without Borders is a non-profit organization that combines soccer play and instruction with life-skills education and development. SWB targets youth who due to a variety of complex economic and social factors lack access to sporting and growth opportunities. The program strives for sustainability at all of its sites, empowering local participants to take the lead.

"Our student-athletes do a tremendous amount of community work," said head coach Angie Hind. "The clinic was a great success and another opportunity for our athletes to share their enthusiasm for soccer with the kids and families in the area."

"Mary works very hard and is very passionate about SWB and the difference it can make in the lives of children. As a team, it's great to be able to come together with the community to support her efforts and such a great initiative."

In addition to the program in Nicaragua, SWB has outlet in Uganda, El Salvador, Guatemala, Argentina and domestically in Oakland, Calif. and New York, N.Y.

Recently, ESPN.com featured the project and its Dartmouth volunteers in a college sports feature, which can be viewed here.

For more information on Soccer Without Borders and how you can get involved, visit the organization's website here.

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