COMPTON—Davis Middle School students in Compton received the experience of a lifetime when youth enrolled in Think Together’s afterschool and expanded learning program walked onto their soccer field to see New England Revolution Midfielder Sebastian Francisco Lletget standing there to greet them.
Lletget kicked activities off with soccer drills, dribbling and passing the ball to students up and down the field. The former LA Galaxy player still considers the area home and felt proud to give back to the communities who often aren’t provided the privilege of playing club soccer or the same opportunities of students going to school in more affluent areas.
“I know how important sports can be for building relationships and having fun. I want to share that with these kids and give them the proper gear to hopefully spark something in them to continue being active,” said Lletget. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do this and want to give a huge thanks to the team at Adidas and Think Toge- ther for bringing it all together. I want these kids to know that with hard work, they can be in my shoes one day or go even further than I have.”
The appearance was made possible by Lletget through his relationship with adidas and the U.S. Soccer Founda- tion. adidas has been a longtime supporter of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s work including its Soccer for Success program which is proven to help children establish positive social, emotional, and physical health behaviors and to develop critical life skills. Think Together is one of the Foundation’s afterschool and expanded learning provi- ders operating this program in the LA area.
Lletget also worked with adidas to donate soccer gear to the 60 kids in attendance. Equipment given to students included soccer balls, jerseys, cleats, socks and shin guards, some signed by Lletget as kids stopped playing to take pictures with the soccer player.
“Think Together is tremendously grateful for Sebastian’s generosity and for this incredible group of organizations that came together to create such a memorable day for our students,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “For the students we serve, these collaborations become the moments that spark a passion for sports, education and enrichment that so many kids might not otherwise experience.”
The U.S. Soccer Foundation and adidas have a long history with Think Together and last year worked with The DICK’s Sporting Goods Foundation to donate 15,000 cleats to Think Together students enrolled in programs throughout California. In 2020, Think Together students kept their skills sharp using the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s adapted curriculum, which allowed youth providers to run Soccer for Success across a variety of settings—from pre-recorded sessions to live virtual sessions to in-person socially-distanced sessions.
Sports programs like Soccer for Success provide a positive platform for kids’ who have endured an especially difficult two-years of disruptions amid the pandemic. According to the USC Keck School of Medicine, children were less physically active in the early phases of the pandemic. It hurt traditionally underserved students most.
Regular exercise and sports programs help student social and emotional development as they learn to work as
a team and practice strategy and collaborative thinking skills. In addition, regular exercise helps students focus better while in the classroom.
Think Together serves 43,710 students across Los Angeles County and nearly 200,000 students across the state with academic-based youth programming and school improvement services. Private and nonprofit philanthropic partnerships are pivotal to Think Together’s expanded learning programs and provide students with equitable access to academic and enrichment programs.
Think Together’s afterschool expanded learning programs are funded in part by After School Education and Safety (ASES) grants awarded by the California Department of Education and 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants secured from the U.S. Department of Education.
To learn more about Think Together, visit www.thinktogether.org. To learn more about the U.S. Soccer Founda- tion, visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org
