USM Middle School Soccer Team Helps America SCORES

The girls on the middle school soccer team not only enjoy playing soccer, they also like spreading the joy of healthy play to others. The Wildcats volunteered to help kids at America SCORES Milwaukee on Friday, refereeing and teaching other kids about the ins and outs of soccer. 

America SCORES Milwaukee is a youth development organization that works with urban schools to teach team-building skills that incorporate poetry, soccer and volunteering. The puropose of the program is to push kids to live healithier, be more engaged in the classroom and increase their self-confidense so they can help make a difference in the world. 

USM’s middle school soccer players and their head coach Jock Mutschler, who organized the trip to America SCORES Milwaukee, refereed some America SCORES games on Friday and talked with the kids about soccer, how to play it, and how much fun it is to be healthy from playing the game. 

“We really appreciate the support, and I know that the kids love having guests come and support the game," Kate Carpenter, executive director of America Scores Milwaukee, wrote in an email to Mutschler. "Please tell the girls that I thought they did very well in making calls, being engaged, and shouting words of encouragement to the kids.”

“We had 13 girls for Friday's excursion to Ellen Park to work with America SCORES," Mutschler said. "The girls were quite excited about the opportunity to interact with inner city youth in third through fifth grade. There were four schools represented at the park. They come together every Friday to play soccer. America SCORES provides additional instruction to the children on nutrition, writing and reading poetry throughout the week.

“Our girls split up into three separate groups. They did some warm-up activities with the children. This was the most fulfilling segment of the volunteer opportunity for the USM girls. They were able to chat and interact with the children. After warm-ups, the Wildcats acted as referees for the four soccer matches that were taking part simultaneously at Ellen Park. The girls acted as center officials or assistant referees on the touchlines. 

“Kate Carpenter and her staff were very appreciative that our students volunteered their time. I also donated three soccer balls to America SCORES on behalf of the Milwaukee East Region of the Milwaukee Kickers. That also went over well.”