SSVCF Programs

The SSV Community Foundation is looking for opportunities to benefit the region's soccer community. Here are some of the programs we hope to start immediately, with help from soccer fans throughout Northern California.

The SSVCF Kidzone
SSVCF’s goal with this program is to bring a different group of 50 under-privileged kids (and their adult chaperones) from a different youth-oriented non-profit in a different Bay Area community to see Earthquakes soccer – an experience they will remember forever – in the “SSV Kidzone,” courtesy of Earthquakes fans

Thanks to SSV's past work, we are familiar with the grateful responses of children who receive an unexpected opportunity to see a soccer game in person. In June, 2007, SSV joined with Earthquakes Soccer and the elected officials of the City of San Jose to distribute 1,000 tickets to an exhibition between CD Guadalajara ("Chivas") and Busan I'Park South Korea. These tickets went out to over 20 local, youth-oriented non-profits, giving a host of children a chance that they would not be able to enjoy due to other economic needs.

Now, SSVCF wants to include organizations in San Jose and beyond. We have already had preliminary discussions with various non-profit organizations, such as Hispanic Community Foundation and Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) in San Jose, and the non-profit Soccer Without Borders, which holds a summer soccer camp for refugee kids (mostly from African countries) in Oakland. We hope to bring these refugee kids to a Quakes game next summer to sit in the SSV Kidzone. Multiply that experience by 17 games and 17 different groups of kids from 17 different communities across the Bay Area, over the course of the 2008 season. We expect that many of these kids will grow up and bring their own kids to Earthquakes games in the future. Regardless, they will experience a joyful outing embracing the Beautiful Game.

The Earthquakes are enthusiastic about the concept and have agreed to set aside a 50-seat section above a large banner emblazoned “SSV Kidzone.” The club has agreed to explore opportunities with its corporate sponsors to underwrite meals and/or souvenirs for the kids. The club has also generously offered SSVCF seats in the SSV Kidzone for $10 per seat per game or $170 per season ticket – a substantial discount over the lowest price ticket for the public ($18 per game or $306 per season ticket). To take them up on this offer, we need your help!

 

The San Jose Soccer History Exhibit
SSVCF, as the keeper of Earthquakes historic legacy, is working to have museum-quality displays of Earthquakes (and CyberRays) memorabilia – including the championship trophies – in selected areas throughout the stadium. These exhibits could also be displayed at the San Jose Convention Center, Mineta San Jose International Airport, San Jose City Hall, at History Park in San Jose, and in traveling displays across the Bay Area.

SSVCF has already had preliminary discussions with the staff of History San Jose, the curators of the city's municipal museum. They are eager to professionally display, maintain, and archive a collection related to Earthquakes soccer, which would preserve and respect the legacy forever. SSVCF, with the help of Earthquakes fans, would like to help underwrite such an effort and create a major exhibit on soccer in the Bay Area to coincide with the opening of the new soccer stadium. SSVCF has also begun to present these ideas to Earthquakes, who are enthusiastic about the prospects of such an effort.

Imagine an Earthquakes fan being able to show their family and friends an in-stadium display showing an old Quakes jersey, scarf, or other piece of memorabilia ‘donated by’ or ‘on loan from the private collection of’ that very fan. With your help, it could happen!

 

The Andrew Bedard Memorial "Spirit of the Game" Award
Earthquakes fans, through SSVCF, will each year honor an Earthquakes player, chosen by the fans, who best exemplifies community service with the Andrew Bedard Memorial "Spirit of the Game Award."

One of the great things about the legacy of the old Earthquakes club is that they were champions not only on the pitch but off. They made fans proud by their service to the community that greatly transcended what we have become accustomed to with typical American sports stars. They befriended the fans, coached our kids, appeared at neighborhood barbecues, and supported causes such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We fans can help foster that same spirit among the players with this award.

The award is named for Andrew Bedard, a young Earthquakes fan who passed away at age 8 in 2004 and who was a fan of former Earthquakes goalkeeper Pat Onstad. Andrew was one of those happy children who lined the fence for autographs, but mostly just wanted to see Onstad, who, along with defenders Craig Waibel and Jeff Agoos, and other players and their wives, stepped up to support Andrew’s family after his sudden death from an aneurysm.

Andrew’s favorite position was in goal. Even though he was a very young player, he seemed to understand the position and kept his heart up during a trying season. During the fall 2003 season, he was on a team that never won a game and didn’t even score until most of the games had been played. Yet he worked very hard to keep the other teams from scoring. After a tough game, his dad asked him how he felt. Andrew’s reply was, “I feel great! It doesn’t matter what the score is. If you have a great attitude, you are a winner.”

Andrew embodied the true “Sprit of the Game” with his attitude. It is this attribute of soccer which extends beyond the competition on the pitch that we want to recognize in the “Spirit of the Game” award bestowed by the fans in Andrew’s name.

 

The Soccer Scholarship Program
SSVCF intends to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth in the Bay Area to participate in fully developing their soccer skills. All across the Bay Area are myriads of talented young soccer players who do not have the financial means to further their talents or to travel to participate in exclusive training events in which they can increase their skills and be seen by college recruiters.

Those players who are financially secure and are selected by elite programs can travel as needed to participate. However, such travel costs are beyond the means of many talented youth players, who either don’t participate at all or are forced to drop out. Additionally, numerous local soccer clubs have excellent skills development programs but access to such programs is limited by the costs associated with coaching and tournament travel. If a talented player is unable to obtain a scholarship through the club program, we hope that SSVCF can be looked to for additional support.

SSVCF hopes to provide youth scholarships based on funds availability and individual need to talented young players. In the long run, we look forward to a day when a young player who has benefited from this program takes the field as an adult, playing for the Earthquakes.

 

The Foreign Policy
SSVCF wants to help Earthquakes fans build and burnish the club’s brand abroad by doing charitable work through soccer in other countries. Soccer is a global sport and we want to help grow the Earthquakes' global brand. Our goal is that Earthquakes fans around the world will be known for their superior sportsmanship and, as well, their goodwill and unparalleled generosity.

SSV’s board previously worked collaboratively with the Blue Star Moms, mothers of Iraqi servicemen who wrote home saying that we could make a contribution to the war effort by providing soccer balls for Iraqi kids. SSV’s board quickly cobbled together $1,000 and chipped in. With the support of our fellow Earthquakes fans, SSVCF hopes to build on that example by providing soccer balls and equipment and money for fields to youngsters in countries all over the planet. We have already had preliminary discussions with the non-profit Soccer Without Borders and with the Rotary Club of San Jose International Service Committee about possible collaborations to do good and build goodwill abroad through soccer.

 

We Want Your Ideas and Contributions
These are only a few of the things we Earthquakes fans can do through our own charitable foundation, and we can all do this together. Our foundation will only be as strong as the collective unity and spirit of Earthquakes fans makes it. Earthquakes fans, through SSV, have proven that working together we are incredibly powerful and that we can do great things. Imagine how much good Earthquakes fans can do collectively – today, tomorrow, and into the future – for our club and for soccer through our own charitable foundation.

Click below to make a contribution to SSVCF. If you would like to serve the regional soccer community as an SSVCF board member, contribute as an SSVCF volunteer, or simply have an idea for other ways that SSVCF can help the soccer community, please contact us.