Foundation
Overview
1. Build Future Soccer Professionals
2. Promote Healthy, Active Children
3. Support Disadvantaged Youth
We would like to build Future Soccer Professionals by offering referee scholarships to teens ages 14 to 18.
The FC Dallas Foundation seeks to Promote Healthy, Active Children by our involvement with fitness initiatives aimed at spotlighting childhood obesity.
The FC Dallas Foundation is committed to Supporting Disadvantaged Youth through activities such as Kicks For Kids, the FC Dallas Community Clinics and Community Development through Field Development.
The Foundation’s 2012 initiatives include:
- Kicks for Kids
- FC Dallas Community Clinics
- Bobby Rhine Memorial Referee Scholarship
- Gear Up Project
- FC Dallas Foundation Field
- MLS W.O.R.K.S. programs
For more information about the FC Dallas Foundation and its programs, contact Melissa Reddick or call 469-365-0147.
FC Dallas Foundation Field
The FC Dallas Foundation field will be located at the Bataan Center which is operated by the West Dallas Community Centers. The predominantly Hispanic West Dallas area is home to over 25,000 residents in a 10.8 mile radius. The Bataan Center, located a short distance from the Trinity River, sits on nine acres that include a small playground and basketball court. There is plenty of vacant land for a 6,000 sq. ft. fenced turf soccer field. The field will be a modified replica of the Freddy Field at Maple Lawn Elementary, which the Foundation helped to build in 2011.
By partnering with City and Community leaders, local businesses and organizations such as the Pro Players Foundation, the FC Dallas Foundation Field is slated to break ground in the Spring of 2013. Along with Pro Players, the FC Dallas Foundation will host a character camp to teach children leadership skills through soccer. The Foundation is fundraising to complete this asset for the youth of West Dallas.
For more information, CLICK HERE.
The FC Dallas Foundation is proud to be partnering with the following entities to make this field a reality:
Robert Moehler, Kevin Kelley and Clay Small
Lionsraw Partnership
The FC Dallas Foundation is excited to announce its new partnership with global organization Lionsraw. Lionsraw is a movement that mobilizes passionate football fans who believe they can make a difference in the lives of others locally and globally. Through the Foundation’s Gear Up Project, we will help to provide soccer gear for Lionsraw’s work in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. Lionsraw travels around the world to use the sport of soccer to touch lives and leave a lasting legacy. The group of volunteers hosts soccer clinics for youth in various countries while also completing a building project. You can read more about Lionsraw here.
The FC Dallas Foundation and Lionsraw will also be hosting a fundraiser called Match For A Day in 2013. Details coming soon!
The Bobby Rhine Heart Project
FC Dallas lost a beloved member of our family, Bobby Rhine, to a sudden heart attack in early September 2011 at the age of 35. Bobby played for FC Dallas from 1999 until 2008 when he joined the staff of FC Dallas as a broadcaster and became the voice of the club. To honor Bobby’s life, the FC Dallas Foundation has created the Bobby Rhine Heart Project. The project includes two elements:
- To raise funds to help organizations obtain the necessary training for AED and CPR.
Many organizations cannot afford the cost of training that is needed to use the AED that they have. The FC Dallas Foundation reaches out directly to non-profit organizations, including schools, through the American Heart Association and the Red Cross to offer assistance to cover the high cost of the training.
To understand the importance of AED training, watch this video about a girl in Frisco whose life was saved due to quick thinking and proper AED training.
- To raise funds for the American Heart Association (AHA) and promote good heart health by walking annually in the Dallas Heart Walk in September.
On Saturday, September 8, the Foundation team comprised of FC Dallas staff, players and fans, as well as the Rhine family, walked to honor Bobby and raise awareness for good heart health. Our team of 116 raised over $10,000 for the American Heart Association. Check back in May when we start organizing the 2013 team.
Community Clinics
The FC Dallas Foundation provides free community soccer clinics to locations throughout the Metroplex by partnering with various nonprofits such as the Boys & Girls Club. The FC Dallas Community Clinics initiative is geared toward traditionally underprivileged areas to provide children the opportunity to run through soccer drills with professional athletes and trained coaches.
The Foundation would like to thank, A-Affordable, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cash America, Conn’s, MoneyGram, Novo Nordisk and TXU Energy for their support of the FC Dallas Community Clinics.
The next clinic will be held on Sunday, May 19 at Samuel Garland Park. We have 200 slots available to the general public at this time with a registration deadline of Thursday, May 16.
Photos from our April event:
Bobby Rhine Referee Scholarship
The FC Dallas Foundation's Bobby Rhine Referee Scholarship is designed to accomplish the following:
- Increase and support interest in the sport of soccer among at-risk children living in the DFW area.
- Assist young people between the ages of 14-18 who have the desire but not the means to obtain referee training, certification, uniform and stopwatch.
- Deliver a marketable and enjoyable skill to youngsters that can provide a lifelong means of income.
The expected return on this investment is great, as youngsters who receive initial training can seek additional funding to recertify their licenses annually. We can track the officiating accomplishments of these children each year as they apply for FC Dallas Foundation assistance with recertification.
Applications are available for the 2013-2014 Bobby Rhine Referee Scholarship now. For more information, please review the following documents and complete the application. Applications are due June 3, 2013.