Don't miss out on the action! This year, the Passback Tour is visiting nine cities across the country to hold soccer clinics for urban youth. Follow the tour here and view photos from the events. Professional players, top coaches, and even team mascots are joining in on the fun!
October 3, 2009 - Houston, TX
The Houston Passback Tour was held at Shadylane Park. The Houston Dynamo helped with the event, as did Houston Parks and Recreation.
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September 26, 2009 - Dallas, TX
The Dallas Passback Tour was held at Maple Lawn Elementary School. Participants came from America SCORES Dallas.
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August 22, 2009 - Chicago, IL
Thanks to great weather and the spectacular venue of the Rauner Family YMCA, the Chicago Passback Clinic continued the success of the 2009 Passback Tour! Against the backdrop of the Chicago city skyline, lead coach Eddy Voltaire introduced some fun soccer games and taught some new skills to the eager and enthusiastic participants.
The kids came from the Rauner Family YMCA, United Neighborhood Organization’s Nuestro Deporte and America SCORES Chicago. Midway through the Clinic, participants had a surprise visit from Chicago Fire and National Team member Logan Pause. Logan signed autographs and asked the kids to watch Sunday’s Fire match vs. the Colorado Rapids, where the Fire made a late-game run to win 3-2!
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August 1, 2009 - Las Cruces, NM
The Las Cruces Passback Clinic helped wrap-up the successful week-long Indigenous Soccer Cup (ISC). The ISC involved a total of 380 youth representing 31 American Indian tribal communities. The tournament, which was held at New Mexico State University, featured soccer competitions, youth leadership development and a celebration of American Indian culture.
The Saturday Passback Clinic provided a morning of fun-filled soccer activities for ISC teams that did not make it to the final rounds of the tournament, as well as for the siblings of the ISC participants. Joining the event were special guests Xochitl Torres, Field Representative of Senator Tom Udall’s office, Michael Needham, Varsity Women’s Soccer Coach for New Mexico State University and Chris Fajardo, Training and Coaching Corps Specialist for Team-Up for Youth.
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July 18, 2009 - Washington, D.C.
The Nation's Capital was the next stop on the 2009 Passback Tour, where D.C. United goalkeeper Milos Kocic came out to Eastern High School to talk to kids and sign some autographs. Talon, D.C. United’s mascot, also made a special appearance! Under the leadership of Maryland Youth Soccer’s Steve Pfeil, the coaching staff included representatives of Grassroothoyas, as well as a team of assistant coaches from City FC. Kids from United for DC, DC SCORES, the Latin American Youth Center, D.C. Parks and Recreation, and Friends of Takoma Recreation Center participated in the Passback Clinic. A sunny day helped make the Clinic quite a success!
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June 20, 2009 - New York, NY
The Passback Tour made its fourth stop of the 2009 circuit in New York City on Saturday, June 20 at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. Despite an onslaught of rainy weather, more that 200 participants from Big Apple Soccer League, Downtown United Soccer Club and Jersey City Soccer attended the Passback Clinic.
Coaches came from a variety of organizations - including the Black Soccer Coaches Committee, D.C. Stoddert, Maryland Youth Soccer Association, Youngrock Soccer Academy, Big Apple Soccer, Downtown United Soccer Club and Jersey City Soccer – to help teach the kids some new skills.
Everyone got a special surprise when John Wolyniec, forward for the New York Red Bulls, made an appearance on the scene. He stayed to sign autographs, talk to the kids and pose for some pictures. The New York native also invited the participants to the Red Bulls game that evening, making some youngsters very excited!
Drenched and happy, the kids left the Clinic after scrimmaging and playing games like capture the flag. As with each Passback Tour stop, participants received a new Passback ball, Passback t-shirt and a healthy snack.
Check out the video below to see action from the event.
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May 9, 2009 - Denver, CO
 On May 9th, kids from the greater Denver area gathered at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to participate in the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Denver Passback Clinic. Working closely with Soccer Dreams Without Borders, the Passback Clinic drew nearly 200 participants from a number of schools and community centers, including:
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Catholic Charities, Mercy Housing, Moorhead Community Center, Aurora Parks and Recreation, African Community Center, America SCORES Denver, Aurora Community Connection Family Resource Center, Aurora Public Schools, Newlun Elementary School, Denver Public Schools, and City of Longmont- The Place
The participants were divided by ages into four different intermixed groups and led through fun skills and games. The volunteer coaches drew from several schools and centers as well, including Evergreen High School, Mullen High School, and Gateway High School, and more. The kids (and parents) were surprised by visits from Colorado Rapids’ star Colin Clark and the Rapids’ playful mascot, Jorge El Mapache. Each participant left with a free Passback ball, Passback t-shirt, Sunsweet snack, and two hours worth of exercise.
Vince Ventimiglia, President of Soccer Dreams Without Borders and promoter of Passback, found the Passback Clinic to be a great avenue to bring goodwill to the participating organizations. Vince says "thanks to Passback and Eurosport, close to 200 less fortunate kids were given an opportunity to meet new friends and know that someone is interested in giving back to organizations that are often underserved". Ventimiglia has even decided organize a second Passback Clinic in August!
April 18, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA
 The Los Angeles Passback Clinic, co-hosted by the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Fundacion Chivas de Corazon USA, delivered an action-packed Saturday. Participants got to show off their soccer skills – and their smiles – during the 2 hour event held at the Home Depot Center before watching the skills of Chivas USA in their evening match against the Sounders. The April 18th L.A. Passback Clinic participants included impressive youth from Compton United Soccer Club, Hearts of Los Angeles Youth, and New ADAGE Youth Development.
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Five representatives from Jovenes, Inc., the recipient organization of the 2009 Vanole Memorial Fund award, served as volunteers at the Passback Clinic. Friends and family of David Vanole, including his wife Kerry Tatlock, and his mother Merelyn Vanole, attended the Passback Clinic in honor of David. Merelyn Vanole delivered a heartfelt message to Jovenes, Inc. and the Clinic participants, celebrating David’s passion, dedication, and influence on the game of soccer.
Team-Up for Youth’s Ed Center generously designed the Passback Clinic curriculum, and traveled to L.A. to teach the curriculum to the coaches. An extraordinary set of volunteer coaches led the participants through a set of fun-filled drills and games before finishing the Clinic with scrimmages.
Chivas star Lawson Vaughn attended the Clinic and signed autographs. Courtesy of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Eurosport, and Sunsweet Growers, Inc., each participant received a free ball, t-shirt, and healthy meal before entering the stadium. Fundacion Chivas de Corazon USA gave everyone involved – participants, coaches, volunteers, and chaperones – a complimentary ticket to the Chivas USA vs. Sounders match. The fun-filled Clinic was followed by a lively atmosphere at the Home Depot Center, as the home team solidified a 2-0 victory!
March 27, 2009 - Milwaukee, WI
The U.S. Soccer Foundation kicked off the 2009 Passback Tour with the Milwaukee Passback Tour Clinic held Friday, March 27th! Thankfully, the Midwestern blizzard held off until Saturday, as both the indoor courts and the outdoor fields were needed to accommodate the 200+ participants!
The Foundation co-hosted the Clinic with the Milwaukee Wave of Kindness. Several Milwaukee Wave players and Wave owner Charlie Krause coached the participants and offered an autograph session after the Clinic. A dozen teenagers from the Hmong Community Center trekked down from Maintowoc to assist with coaching the participant groups, which included COA Family Services and Milwaukee SCORES. Each participant received a free ball and t-shirt from Eurosport and snack from Sunsweet Growers, Inc. The kids were all smiles as they learned new skills from the top quality group of coaches!
The successful Friday Passback Tour Clinic was followed by a Saturday Milwaukee Urban Soccer Symposium. The Milwaukee Wave of Kindness facilitated the Symposium in the form of a strategic planning session. Almost twenty organizations were represented by administrators who volunteered their Saturdays to address the vision of bringing integrated soccer and life skills to central city Milwaukee youth. The Symposium concluded with clear action items to be tackled by sub-committees of Symposium attendees. Thanks to the efforts of the Milwaukee Wave of Kindness, there is now a platform for collaboration of all groups interested in improving youth soccer in Milwaukee’s urban setting!
All Clinic and Symposium participants were offered complimentary tickets to the Milwaukee Wave’s final game of the season, Sunday, March 29th.
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