The Free Soccer Initiative

Erasing Barriers to Entry for Gallatin Valley Athletes

Across the United States, families are experiencing inflation-related cost of living increases. Coupled with that, Gallatin Valley residents have faced a 32% increase in housing costs over the past year. Families have to make hard choices when money gets tight, and often the first things to go are extracurricular activities for kids. Local nonprofit organizations, like Montana Surf Soccer Club, are working diligently to keep kids involved, and to increase access for underserved populations. Montana Surf recently launched The Free Soccer Initiative, ensuring that all kids have the opportunity to participate, regardless of income.

The Free Soccer Initiative was developed as a supplement to Montana Surf’s substantial scholarship fund, and was designed to erase all barriers to entry for low-income families, with an emphasis on children who may not otherwise have the access to extracurricular opportunities. Funded by generous community donors and Montana Surf fundraising efforts, The Free Soccer Initiative eliminates program fees for qualifying youth athletes and solves transportation limitations by arranging rides and carpools. The Bozeman Chapter of Montana

Soccer Soles – started by two 11-year-old Montana Surf athletes – provides cleats, shin guards, socks and balls, ensuring that everyone has the equipment they need to play.

Montana Surf’s Competitive Academy Technical Director, Vanessa Davis, is the founder of The Free Soccer Initiative, which was inspired by her own experience as a Latinx youth growing up in the Gallatin Valley. Vanessa developed The Free Soccer Initiative in order to address inequality, poverty, health and access in the context of sport. “Our objective in developing the program was to use our institutional reach to create meaningful impact and improvement in the lives of low-income families,” she said. “Soccer is a powerful force for kids, helping them become an integral part of a team in which they build quick trust and relationships.”

The Free Soccer Initiative debuted in June of 2022 in partnership with the World Language Institute’s Bella Camp and Bienvenidos, a Gallatin Valley local nonprofit that welcomes Spanish-speaking migrants and their families to the region, connecting them with local mentors, volunteers and community resources. Children associated with Bienvenidos were enrolled in Montana Surf summer camps and experienced the mental and physical health benefits of outdoor play as well as the community-building effects of spending time with their peers. “We have found that youth sports are a wonderful way for kids to make new friends, create a support system and feel comfortable in their new lives in Montana,” said Bienvenidos’s Ita Killeen. “Offering free programs, equipment and transportation means that kids have opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available to them.”

The program expanded in fall of 2022, offering free soccer to students in the Bozeman School District’s ESL (English as a Second Language) Program. “As the population of multilingual students and new arrivals continues to grow in the Bozeman district, the urgency to address their social-emotional needs becomes a priority,” said Evelyn Paz-Solis, Bozeman Schools’ Multilingual English Coordinator. “Our students arrive facing endless struggles when acclimating to a new culture and learning a new language. Making soccer accessible for them allows them to move hard emotions through their bodies, to find belonging again, to feel they are successful at something familiar, to show their talents to the rest of the community, to create community, to have the chance to access very healthy coping skills and to find HOME in a place where they don’t immediately fit in.”

While free recreational programs are beneficial for individual children and families, they also positively benefit the greater community. Dylan Hale Thornton, a DEI Consultant and founder of Hale Creative Consulting said, “Many studies suggest after-school activities are the number-one factor for helping kids achieve upward mobility. Sports create connections between individuals, cultures, perspectives, the environment and community. Providing access isn’t just good for kids and families, it’s good for communities.”

The Free Soccer Initiative provides opportunities for youth athletes of every level to access the physical, social and psychological benefits of team sports. It also gives athletes a chance to experience all levels of Montana Surf programming, from camps and Montana Surf Recreational Soccer all the way through the club’s competitive high school programs. For more information visit www.montanasurf.org/ the-free-soccer-initiative.