August Newsletter
World Cup Whirlwind
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It's been a whirlwind season, tracing back to when Beyond Soccer was named one of 27 inaugural grantees of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund. That recognition opened doors we never could have imagined, and this summer, with the World Cup in our own backyard, we saw just how many doors it opened for our kids. From an unforgettable night in New York to training with the French National Team to representing Lawrence on a global stage at Festival26, here's a look back.
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| Some news leaves you speechless. Beyond Soccer is proud, and humbled, to be part of the first cohort, joining organizations from across the globe doing meaningful work through sport and education. Recently, Michael Sheldrick, co-founder of Global Citizen, visited to hear our story firsthand. | |
“What began with 12 girls who simply wanted to play has grown into something I could never have imagined.”
— Stephanie, as shared in her interview with Michael Sheldrick
| "What keeps Beyond Soccer going?" he asked. The kids who text after every game and practice: "When's the next game, coach?" This grant will help keep that door open for the 1,500 young people we serve each year, with a particular focus on expanding Academic Overtime and college- and career-readiness opportunities. |
What This Grant Makes Possible for Academic Overtime
It allows us to intentionally invest in program staffing and infrastructure, including:
✔ Deepening college partnerships through credit-bearing internships and practica.
✔ Bringing in a part-time teacher to help develop and strengthen the program
✔ Moving toward one-on-one tutoring as our primary model
| | Catch Some of the Media Coverage | |
A Trip To Remember. Yes, that's Hugh Jackman!
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Our Executive Director, Stephanie, was invited to New York City to celebrate the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund grant.
Over dinner in SoHo, she connected with partners, philanthropists, and education leaders from around the world who share a similar commitment to sports and education.
| | The evening included a performance of New Born at the historic Minetta Lane Theater and a meet-and-greet with actor Hugh Jackman, joined by members of the first grantee cohort and Global Citizen leaders from as far as Argentina and London. | | | Training with the French National Team | | | | |
Thanks to an invitation from Boston World Cup 2026, 10 Beyond Soccer players and 4 Coach Mentors headed to Bentley University for a training session with MassYouth Soccer Association, then watched, and met, the French National Team. Yes, the French National Team, including one of the best players in the world, Kylian Mbappé.
Our girls also met U.S. Women's National Team legend Kristine Lilly, who played for Team USA for 23 years.
It was, in the words of the parents and players flooding our group chats, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
| | World Cup Viewing at the Mass Youth Soccer Festival | | |
Thanks to Mass Youth Soccer and Boston WorldCup26, it felt like the World Cup came right to Lawrence. Inflatable soccer fields, the New England Revolution, player card photos, raffles, and temporary tattoos from local artist Gabby kept the energy high all day, and the field went wild when Brazil won the match.
Thank you to the Lawrence Recreation Department and the Mayor's Health Task Force for helping bring it all together.
| | Representing Lawrence at Festival26 | | We were proud to be an official delegation of Festival26: 9 days of leadership development, cultural exchange, and football for good, hosted by Boston SCORES and Sport dans la Ville, alongside 400+ youth from around the world. | | Coach Mentor Issandel represented Beyond Soccer as a Young Leader, training in football3 (a fair-play approach where respect and teamwork count as much as goals) as well as a special meeting with U.S. Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku. | | He was soon joined by 6 of our players, plus Delegation Leader, Sadie, who spent their days at a World Cup watch party at the Tall Ships, a performance at Berklee, a handfull of tournaments, stops at the Prudential Center and Freedom Trail. | | A special thank you to all our friends and partners who made these memorable opportunities possible for our young people. | | Your gift keeps the door open for more than 1,500 kids a year! | | | Beyond Soccer, Inc. | 280 Merrimack Street Suite 323 | Lawrence, MA 01843 US | | | | |
