SECAUCUS, N.J. - The New York Red Bulls proudly announced that the Scotch Plains Fanwood Soccer Association has become a "Student of the Game" partner for the 2007 season.
"The Red Bulls are excited to welcome back our 2006 Youth Soccer Club of the Year - Scotch Plains Fanwood Soccer Association - as a Student of the Game Partner. We are looking forward to building on our strong foundation set last season throughout this year, with events in the Scotch Plains/Fanwood area as well as at Giants Stadium," said Red Bulls Director of Sales and Fan Services Richard Searls. "We have several other clubs in the region who will be coming on board in the coming weeks, however due to the high volume of deliverables included, we are limiting the number of Student of the Game Partners to just 20."
Jim Fawcett, the president of SPFSA added, "The Scotch Plains Fanwood Soccer Association was thrilled to be named the Red Bulls' 2006 Youth Soccer Club of the Year and we really look forward to coming back to the stadium this year. Hundreds of our players and parents took advantage of the program last year. The parents loved the pre-game tailgating activities and the kids were so excited to walk out of the tunnel and onto the field. Seeing high-scoring exciting games was icing on the cake for all of us."
The Student of the Game program is designed to provide youth soccer clubs in the tri-state area with a series of educational, motivational and inspirational benefits to assist players and also coaches and parents. The recruitment and retention of parent volunteers remains a challenge for most youth soccer organizations.
The "Student of the Game" program provides clubs with various tools aimed at assisting in this area. One aspect of the program is a special Club Outing at Giants Stadium for a Red Bulls home game. The purpose of this outing is to give youth players the opportunity to watch a game live, learn from professionals and provide parents an opportunity to meet each other in a social setting. The "Club Night Out" is the ultimate team-building event.
"The SPFSA believes strongly in supporting pro soccer in our area. The development and growth of soccer at the highest level has a tremendous impact at the youth end and the increased publicity that the sport generates through strong attendance and television ratings makes it that much easier for us to petition municipal leaders for badly needed field initiatives, for example," said Fawcett.
Through this partnership, a member of the Red Bulls coaching staff will travel to Scotch Plains to lead the club's coaches through a clinic and give them tips on game strategy and team tactics. The Red Bulls will assist soccer clubs with their fundraising efforts throughout the season and organize sportsmanship clinics designed by specialists to help create players who are successful both on and off the field.
Additionally, players, coaches and parents from the Scotch Plains Fanwood Soccer Association will be able to develop personal relationships with Red Bulls players through player appearances at their respective home fields.
"The features of this program allowed us to tailor special events to the different aspects of our program such as a coaching clinic for entry level rec coaches, a goaltending clinic for our advanced travel 'keepers and Red Bull player appearances at our team photo day," said Fawcett.
For more information on the Student of the Game program, please contact the New York Red Bulls at 1-877-RBSOCCER.
