Angie Garcia has been involved with Street Soccer USA for almost two years. Through her time as a player on SSUSA Bay Area’s Team Change, Angie has truly exemplified SSUSA’s Skill “Play with Heart”.
In the story below, you will find out more about Angie’s experience traveling with SSUSA’s National Team to the Homeless World Cup in Norway with the help of SSUSA Program Partner, Hosteling International USA.
Hostelling International USA is a non-profit organization that believes in the power of travel to foster a deeper understanding of people, places and culture for a more tolerant world. John Shilder a coach for SSUSA Tenderloin Community Club in San Francisco explains his involvement with both Street Soccer USA and it’s Partner Hosteling International USA.
“I have the opportunity to oversee the Explore the World (ETW) Travel Scholarship” John states. ”Last year we provided seventeen $2000 ETW travel grants to Bay Area youth age 18 to 30 whose travel included an educational or service component. As a volunteer with SSUSA, I have been able to get involved with the community I live in though my passion for soccer, and have used the beautiful game as a means to introduce others to the power of travel. I am extremely proud and grateful to be involved with these two inspiring organizations. Over the past two years the collaboration between HI USA and SSUSA has given me the chance to share my passions for soccer and travel with individuals like Angie Garcia, (Bay Area Women’s Team Participant and ETW Scholarship winner) providing her the opportunity to go abroad and represent her city of San Francisco and SSUSA as a whole, in the Homeless World Cup”.
Angie was nominated for this amazing experience during her second National Cup Tournament with SSUSA in Philadelphia last June. Angie tell’s SSUSA Women’s Coach, Avery Kidwell, “Traveling to Norway for the Homeless World Cup is an experience I will keep close to my heart. I will never forget when I was nominated for this trip. I was standing in front of my new Street Soccer USA family from all over the Country at the Street Soccer Cup in Philly. I started crying because I have never had the opportunity to fly out of the Country and now I would be traveling abroad to represent my team; a team I have a lot of pride to be a part of”.
Angie went to Norway and competed with the Women’s Team. She came home with a whole new mindset. Months later, HI held a special banquet in order to celebrate the ETW Scholarship Winners. Out of the 17 scholarship winners, Angie alongside 4 other recipients were brought up on stage to speak about their experience. When asked explain your experience, Angie answered, ”There was nothing but love, no judgment, no hate. It was a chance to understand different cultures and I realized one single sport brought over 500 people together. I am very appreciative that it was because of the HI scholarship that I could experience this”. Angie then goes on to give advice to any future travelers. She responds, “It’s okay to be nervous. Learn to let go and just be free. That way you can just enjoy the beautiful people, atmosphere and joy from those around you. People truly just appreciate your presence”.
The night wrapped up with opportunities to mingle with the award winners and appreciate the stories they had to share. Street Soccer USA Bay Area feels blessed to work alongside organizations like Hostelling International USA. Organizations that believe in opportunity for everyone not matter what your background might be. Opportunities like travel open our players up to the world around them. It challenges them to work through difficult situations and dive into the life skills we teach in our programs. Skills like “look up”, b\eing aware of the next opportunity to say yes to, or maybe just the opposite; a situation to stay clear of while in a new and unknown place. Or maybe recall lessons learned around “Adjusting your Play” when things may not go as planned. So we thank HI for giving Angie this opportunity and are excited to see Angie continue to push herself to meet new people and say yes to the opportunities that come her way to continue to grow as a soccer player and independent young women.
