FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME FUND GRANT RECIPIENT
Greg Winkler , Head Boys Soccer Coach , Charlotte High School , Punta Gorda , FL .
Imagine going to your soccer field to prepare for your approaching season . You just survived a major disaster , and getting the team back together is just what you need .
Then you see , or rather , don ’ t see your scoreboard , your storage shed ( with all of your supplies ); it ’ s gone . No uniforms , balls , cones , portable goals — every single item your program had purchased is gone ! That is what happened to our boys soccer team in Punta Gorda , Florida .
One of the first organizations to reach out to me and my program was United Soccer Coaches , after which I applied for their Foundation ’ s For the Good of the Game grant . We are extremely grateful for their quick response and selection .
Many of our boys suffered personal losses due to Hurricane Ian , so just having a soccer ball was an issue . We are very fortunate to benefit from the generosity of others . We were able to get what we really needed to get started ( some balls , cones , vests and portable goals ) and because of the United Soccer Coaches Foundation we are off and running !
Oftentimes we are asked as members to give a donation to the Foundation and we may never see the results . For those coaches that have given in the past — I , and my team , thank you . I would ’ ve never thought something like this could happen , but it did and my gratitude for United Soccer Coaches and our coaching community continues to grow .
To learn more about what options are available to you through the Foundation ’ s For the Good of the Game Fund , please email Sara Mason , Development Officer , at smason @ unitedsoccercoaches . org
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