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SSVCF has partnered with FC Gold Pride, the Bay Area Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) franchise, and the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI), Brandi Chastain's non-profit devoted to promoting fitness among and providing athletic role models to local girls at 20 different school sites in the South Bay, to sponsor the "Lion's Den" section at Gold Pride games.
The Lion's Den is a unique program whereby 50 girls attend a Gold Pride home match at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara accompanied by 10 high school and/or college soccer players selected as their hosts for the day. In 2009, SSVCF funded season seats for 25 girls, or half the section.
In the Lion's Den, the host players greet the lucky girls as they arrive at the stadium, spend some time having fun at the FanFest (usually including a visit with Pounce, the Gold Pride mascot), and then at around 15 minutes before game time, line up to high five the Pride and visiting players at the rally tunnel. Then they are off to their seats to enjoy the game.
At halftime the girls are treated to a delicious snack provided by Hobee's in the picnic area of Stanton Field, and then back to the game for the second half. Immediately following the game, the girls enjoy an exclusive VIP "meet and greet" session with several of the Pride players in autograph alley.
"The game day mentorship experience was established specifically to give the girls an opportunity to experience VIP treatment while enjoying world-class soccer with older role models," says Gold Pride general manager Ilisa Kessler. "Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation's valuable donation allows these children an opportunity to enjoy a positive morale-boosting experience."
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