ESPN & Local Organizations Build and Open Multifunctional Sports Space in San Juan, Puerto Rico
- YMCA of San Juan celebrates the opening of courts that will be home to sustainable programs
teaching young people life-skills through sports - Puerto Rican Olympic Gold Medalist Monica Puig helps opens the space during special event.
San Juan, Puerto Rico: At a special virtual event on Tuesday, August 17, ESPN and partners officially opened a newly transformed multifunctional sports space dedicated to the local community and its residents The site is the tenth in the global Built to Play project series, led by ESPN. Partners on the project include the local community, award-winning sport for development organizations love.fútbol and Coaches Across Continents, the YMCA of San Juan, the Puerto Rico Tennis Association (PRTA) and United States Tennis Association (USTA).
Encompassing a revitalization and beautification of courts located at the YMCA San Juan, the space is
designed to provide a safe place to play for the surrounding community and to offer ongoing programming using the power of sports to educate young people on key local and personal development issues.
Hosted by Marly Rivera, ESPN’s Major League Baseball National Reporter, the virtual media event and ribbon-cutting was attended by special guest speaker, professional tennis player and 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, Monica Puig; Freddy Rolón, Vice President, ESPN Programming and Acquisitions; Rosa María Martínez, Executive Director, USTA Caribbean and PRTA; Mabel Román Padró, Executive Director, YMCA of San Juan; and, Mano Silva, Chief Operating Officer, love.fútbol.
“I have always believed that we do our best work when we can use the power of the ESPN brand to serve as an agent of change and bring positive impact to communities,” said Freddy Rolón. “We were pleased to bring ESPN Built to Play to the YMCA of San Juan and to collaborate with love.fútbol, Coaches Across Continents, the local community, the YMCA and the PRTA to provide a space in a community where there is a need and where it can truly make a difference. I know that it will continue to be a focal point for this community for many years to come; a place where kids can play sports, have fun, learn, and thrive.
The virtual event celebrated the site and featured remarks from the project partners on its social impact on the G8 community. It also included a special Q&A between Olympic champion Monica Puig and two children from the USTA Foundation’s local National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapter
Monica Puig said, “It is an honor to be part of this great initiative. I want to thank ESPN Built to Play, the YMCA of San Juan, the PRTA, and everyone involved for making a difference not only through the sport of tennis but through sports overall to help improve the health and wellness of our youth. It’s been very special for me to see the growth of interest in tennis in Puerto Rico ever since I won the gold medal, especially among kids. Sports, in general, are a great resource for kids to learn life skills, stay active and also deal with mental health issues, which are especially timely with the pandemic. Thanks to this project, the kids in the community will have this as a safe haven to go outside, stay active, explore their passions and talents, and simply be kids.”
By fostering a more inclusive community and ensuring quality programming, this space will serve as a hub for local youth to play, participate in skills-development programs, and grow. The project engages the G8 community and YMCA members through a variety of sports – including new opportunities to play and learn through tennis and football – and activities for different ages, but mainly targeting boys and girls aged 6 to 15-years-old. Parents will also be part of the process. Project manager love.fútbol led the transformation of the space and programming partner Coaches Across Continents virtually trained local expert coaches – including Fundación Golitos, which runs adapted sports program for children with disabilities – on its customized Purposeful Play curriculum. The programming will be used to facilitate powerful discussions with youth around leadership, mental well-being, healthy living, and social inclusion. From August 2021– August 2022, the coaches will deliver weekly sessions reaching at least 600 young people monthly in full compliance with COVID-19 restrictions.
Read the full press release here.
Nike & CAC Expand Partnership
Congratulations to our partners Nike on being a finalist for the Corporate Community Impact Award at the ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards. They were a finalist for their Nike Community Ambassador program, which utilizes a CAC-designed curriculum and methodology, to give Nike store employees around the world the opportunity to share their love of sport with the next generation. Last year more than 5,400 store employees in 24 countries served as Nike Community Ambassadors, volunteering as coaches in their local communities to help get kids playing so they can reach their full potential. The Awards took place in conjunction with the 2020 ESPYS on June 21st.
We are delighted to announce that CAC is now working with Nike to provide urgent relief while creating a long term educational pathway for children to stay safe in these incredibly challenging times. This is the first program which addresses play-based education during COVID-19 in addition to emergency needs.
Thanks to Nike’s support CAC and our partners working on the front lines of the COVID-19 response in Colombia, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines will be provided funding for the items their communities need including food, soap, face masks, and essential items. Leaders from our partner programs in these countries will be given the resources they need to find creative ways to use play to address the pandemic. In addition, partners in 5 other countries will be given our play-based educational resources to encourage their beneficiaries to stay physically active and mentally well.
Our COVID-19 response partnership with Nike has provided essential funding to community-based organizations to distribute vital goods to the community while building a long-term educational pathway for youth. For example:
In Indonesia Uni Papua FC are distributing rice and masks to at-risk families while providing football-based educational sessions about preventing the spread of COVID-19.
In Philippines FundLife are distributing food and female hygiene packs while designing safe play-based educational sessions which will focus on mental-well being of youth when restrictions allow.
In Colombia Niñas sin Miedo are distributing hygiene items and antibacterial gel while delivering educational sessions to girls focused on how to support each other during lock down.
In India Slum Soccer are providing ration and hygiene kit to 40 underserved families in Nagpur while delivering their ‘Be Careful, Not Fearful’ play-based program which teach youth about issues such as social distancing, hand-washing, and fact-based decision-making.
Contact us for more information:
#BuiltToPlay With ESPN in Puerto Rico
CAC is delighted to be partnering with ESPN, think Beyond, and love.futbol on the #BuiltToPlay initiative in Puerto Rico in 2021-22. Working with local organizations in San Juan; the YMCA and the US Tennis Association; we have designed Purposeful Play curriculum, will be training local coaches and supporting local programming for the space throughout the next 12 months. The official opening of the new multi-sports spaces will be in 2021. Our programming with local at-risk youth will use football, basketball, volleyball and tennis to facilitate powerful discussions around leadership, mental well-being, healthy living, and social inclusion.
The ESPN #BuiltToPlay initiative builds safe spaces to play sports in underserved communities all over the world and then supports local organizations to maintain and deliver educational programming on the space. Among the many locations which have benefited from this initiative are Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Mumbai. In previous years we have worked on this initiative with the PCYC Mount Druitt in Sydney, Australia. We are excited about the potential for the work in Puerto Rico.
#BuiltToPlay with ESPN in Sydney
February 28th 2019. We are delighted to announce our collaboration with ESPN/Disney, and other incredible partners in Sydney, Australia as part of their global Built to Play project.
Today, Coaches Across Continents were delighted to be present at the official opening of a new, multifunctional sports space in Mount Druitt, Sydney, Australia. The first of its kind that ESPN/Disney has done in Sydney and the eighth Built to Play project globally. The space, built by community volunteers and ESPN and Disney employees, is designed to provide a safe place to play for the surrounding community, as well as offer ongoing programming using the power of sports to educate young people on key local issues. The event included music, special cultural performances, and a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a showcase of the programming that will occur onsite. The project is led by ESPN and The Walt Disney Company, in collaboration with Education Outside the Classroom organizations, love.futbol, Coaches Across Continents and PCYC Mt Druitt.
CAC is proud to be a part of this ESPN/Disney #BuiltToPlay initiative that brings a Love.Fútbol safe space and CAC’s Purposeful Play to PCYC Mt. Druitt to benefit tens of thousands of children and their families for years to come. – Brian Suskiewicz, Chief Executive, CAC
As well as showcasing CAC’s work during the inauguration, our Chief Executive Brian Suskiewicz will be running a Purposeful Play training program for PCYC coaches, teachers and community leaders over the next 3 days on the new pitches. We will then work closely with the PCYC to implement programming around key social topics identified by them over the next 10 months. Topics include community re-integration, gender equality, conflict prevention, health and substance abuse. The project will also include opportunities for ESPN employees in Sydney to engage with the PCYC, CAC and the community initiative throughout 2019.
Because of #BuiltToPlay we have the potential ability to further develop our programming regarding youth guidance in education, safety, and core values to another level. – Lance Chaloner, Senior Club Manager at PCYC Mt. Druitt
Soccer Icon Seamus Malin Heads to Tanzania
February 4th 2015. Seamus Malin has had an illustrious soccer career. As a journalist and TV announcer he has commentated on seven World Cups, three Olympic Games and countless Champions League matches. He was the broadcast voice of the NY Cosmos in their heyday from 1978 -1984. And he was inducted into the US National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005 and remains the only TV commentator elected to that body.
But this April and May, Seamus is taking his role as a Board Member with Coaches Across Continents to the next level. Seamus is headed On-Field to work with our partner programs on Unguja and Pemba islands, Tanzania. Here Seamus will work with our partners as they harness the true power of sport for social impact, tackling such issues as corporal punishment which is still legal and practiced there and female empowerment. Seamus will help these local communities address their cultural and traditional problems so that they can choose their own future through sport.
Seamus says, ‘together we can help children in developing regions around the world play soccer, learn life skills and become leaders in the community.’
Seamus is looking for your support of Coaches Across Continents in Tanzania, and has targeted the ambitious goal of $27,000 which is the cost and value of one year-round partnership. In 2015, Coaches Across Continents will be working in more than 80 communities in 30 countries. Help out this soccer icon today by donating and follow the story of his trip and its impact on these two islands off the Tanzanian mainland.
Support soccer icon Seamus Malin and Coaches Across Continents create social change in Tanzania
March Madness is Over … Now Predict the 2014 World Cup
April 14th 2014: The 2014 World Cup is only 60 days away. Join the CAC World Cup prediction bracket and show CAC that you are a soccer knowledge machine by going toe to toe with our soccer obsessed staff and ex World Cup winners!
Not only do you get to compete for the title but you will also know while you watch the games, that you have supported a positive legacy for Brazil during the World Cup.
To join the league all you have to do is:
1. Go to our Indiegogo campaign raising money for our work facilitating social change in Brazil.
2. Donate at least $25 to the campaign.
3. Receive an email password to our ESPN World Cup prediction league within 24 hours.
4. Setup an ESPN account and join the CAC World Cup group.
5. Predict the World Cup! Will England or the US get to the Quarter Finals? Will Brazil win it all at home?
6. Keep track of your position throughout the World Cup!
This summer Coaches Across Continents will be working in disadvantaged and dangerous Brazilian communities to coincide with the World Cup specifically focusing on drug abuse, gang violence and local conflict. To ensure the greatest possible impact and provide a positive legacy for local people affected by the World Cup we need your help.
Your support will mean that soccer, the most popular sport in Brazil, will not only have an impact for professionals this summer. It will mean that youth and communities who are overlooked by the World Cup going on around them will be given the tools and capacity to positively affect their dangerous social situations though ‘The Beautiful Game’. Money will go towards:
- educating the next generation of Brazilians about global child rights
- teaching how to resolve conflict and gender based violence peacefully
- how to solve their own problems to ensure sustainability after the program
Not only that but your support means you can be part of the CAC World Cup prediction league!