In a thrilling overtime game against Chatanooga FC in Murfreesboro on Sunday, our Play Where You Stay High School Boys competitive team won the State Championship tournament! They will now advance to the 2022 US Youth Soccer Region III President’s Cup Tournament in Dallas, Texas in June!

This win was the result of an incredible effort by players, parents, funders, and partners involved in both developmental and competitive Play Where You Stay programs since our founding in 2018. Your involvement over these last several years has allowed us to build successful programs that reduce barriers like transportation, money, and time in accessing excellent sports training.

Why this matters:

Sports participation during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with significant mental and physical health benefits in adolescents. Those who returned to sport participation in fall 2020 reported lower anxiety and depression symptoms (study).

More than 40% of families said their community-based sports provider has either closed, merged, or returned with limited capacity following the COVID pandemic (study).

There has been a disparity in sports participation during COVID-19, with white youth spending 174% more time playing games than Asian youth, 46% more than Hispanic/Latino youth, and 39% more than Black youth (study).

Play Where You Stay is directly addressing the disparity in sports access through its neighborhood programming across Memphis. The importance of community-based sports providers has never been greater, yet the pandemic has made it more difficult for our programs to find and retain funders.

THANK YOU for being one of our supporters. This win is a testament to what’s possible when ALL children are given access to participate in the world’s game!

Your donations can help us launch more teams and reach more players!

Play Where You Stay is changing the face of US soccer through grassroots, neighborhood-based play. When every kid has the chance to learn and grow in the world’s greatest game, our athletes will compete at the highest levels of the sport. Play Where You Stay is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and we fund our teams, players, and coaches through sponsorships and grants. Your support can help us reach more players and neighborhoods!

All donations can be made here. If you wish to make your donations in cash, please let us know at (901)864-2800 or reply to this email.