Goals for Gaisman!

The Goals for Gaisman campaign is the next step toward renovating the soccer fields at Gaisman Community Center and Park.  Our vision is to create high quality soccer fields in the heart of Berclair, and we hope that this campaign can be a catalyst for further improvements at the park.

Our project seeks to promote and further youth soccer participation at Gaisman through improving the safety and quality of the field equipment and by increasing the number of soccer fields at the park.  Having multiple sizes of goals and additional fields will allow for youth soccer programming for children from 6 to 18 that adheres to United States Soccer Federation's Player Development Initiatives.  Following these Player Development Initiatives ensures that children playing soccer at Gaisman are provided an age appropriate environment that is consistent across the US Soccer landscape.  More soccer fields will allow for additional programming opportunities at the park, providing even more playing options for kids in the area! 

If you share this goal with us, please help us improve the youth soccer facilities at Giasman by making a donation today!  As part of the New Century of Soul Challenge, donations up to $1,000 will be matched!  Join us in taking the next step towards making Gaisman Park

We've been working with Gaisman Community Center and Park to ensure that the proper number and sizes of goals meet their immediate needs.  As a result, there are a few simple steps we'll take to make the project happen:  Once the fundraiser is complete, we'll purchase goals and anchors, having them shipped to Gaisman Community Center.  When the equipment arrives, we'll dedicate a few days to building and installing all goals and anchors at the park.  To complete the project, we'll look to add a storage shed where goals and equipment can be stored during the off season.  Keeping the equipment out of the elements during the off season is important in order to prolong the life of the goals.  Our goal is to have the field equipment installed by early August (to get fields ready for the fall 2019 season!), with the storage shed being installed by late October.

With most of Memphis' public soccer fields located outside of the 240 Loop, access to soccer for kids living near Berclair, Highland Heights, and Grahamwood can be exceedingly limited. Thankfully, Gaisman Community Center and Park have been working hard to change this...  Currently, there are several soccer fields set up at the park for the 2019 spring recreational soccer league.  Unfortunately, because of limited resources, the park has needed to rely on equipment donations from local schools and churches to facilitate the fields.  While those generous donations have been happily excepted, the condition of the equipment ranges from 'fair' to 'heavily used' and in some cases 'incomplete' (e.g. missing important pieces).  Help us show the park and its patrons a little love!

Through the Goals for Gaisman campaign, we want to ensure that our community has a safe place to play for years to come.  Upgrading all of the goals is a simple step to achieve both.  

About Soul City Soccer Club:

At Soul City Soccer Club, our mission is to bring soccer to Memphis’ underserved youth through affordable soccer programs and events.  We believe that sport, and specifically soccer, has the power to create positive change in communities.  Our long-term vision is to create an inclusive soccer community that reflects the city of Memphis, where players and coaches can develop to their fullest potential on and off the pitch.  We believe eliminating financial barriers and increasing access to public soccer fields and futsal courts to be essential in achieving our vision.

Youth sports in the United States have become more and more inaccessible for children from economically disadvantaged homes.  Aspen Institute’s State of Play 2018 reports that kids from low-income homes are now half as likely to play a team sport as kids from high-income homes.  The rising cost of competitive youth sports likely plays a major role in this.  According to a 2016 study by TD Ameritrade, parents whose children participated in “highly competitive or elite teams run by a non-school organization” were spending on average $100 to $500 per month, per child.  And at least 20% of them dished out $1,000 per month.

In Memphis, where, as per Tennessee Board of Education, nearly 60% of students attending Shelby County Schools come from economically disadvantaged homes, competitive soccer clubs can cost anywhere from $700 to upwards of $4,000 (depending on the age and level of competition).  As a result, nearly all of the clubs and facilities are located in the surrounding suburbs, near more affluent neighborhoods in the Greater Memphis area.  This has placed unnecessary financial and geographical barriers that many families are left to face.  Our goal is to overcome those barriers through affordable soccer programs — including competitive soccer teams, after school soccer programs, soccer camps, and coach education — and improving, or creating, public soccer fields and futsal courts within the city of Memphis.  Goals for Giasman is our first fundraiser geared towards improving public soccer fields in the city.

Interested in learning more about Soul City Soccer Club?  Visit soulcitysoccer.com to learn more!