Used Soccer Equipment Drive

We will be collecting used soccer equipment starting at the first summer training on June 20^th. Any out grown cleats, jerseys, shorts or any other soccer gear is needed.

A former player of mine, El Hadji Deing, will be bringing all that we collect back to his native country of Senegal.

Hadji is a great success story. Enrolling in high school as sophomore and barely able to speak but not write English, Hadji learned to read and write English and completed 4 years of high school classes in three years. He was able to complete his high school education by simultaneously attending summer school at two different high schools. In all reality, he actually completed 4 years in just two years as he had to re-take his sophomore classes due to his initial struggles with learning English. He did all that while also maintaining a part time job of running newspapers. A job that started at 2:00 in the morning! Hadji became a High School All American in soccer and continued his education and playing career at Xavier where he was a four year starter for the soccer team and is now an alumnus of Xavier.

Hadji grew up in Dakar, Senegal playing soccer on dirt fields, the streets or any open area he could find. Playing with little soccer gear, if any at all, any soccer gear what so ever was treated as gold –particularly cleats. Soccer created the opportunities for a success life outside of sports that Hadji would not have known otherwise. Hadji has always been gracious and always thankful for those that helped him on his journey. I am very supportive of Hadji’s endeavors and wish to help him succeed in sending used soccer gear to his native country of Senegal.

Please bring any used soccer gear to training starting on June 20^th.

Hadji will be out to training this summer to speak about his life and soccer experiences.