As an overweight asthmatic when I was growing up, I was almost certainly one of the least fit soccer player to grace the fields of Fairfield, CT (if only there was a video to share with you). I don’t remember having a particular affinity for soccer, but all of my friends played, so I played too; in fact, it seems like most kids play soccer growing up now. That’s a big achievement for a sport that has to compete with more entrenched sports like baseball, football, and basketball. Much of the success of soccer can be attributed to U.S. Soccer, the sport’s national governing body. One of the major successes of U.S. Soccer was to bring the FIFA World Cup to the United States in 1994. The World Cup generated quite a surplus, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation was started in 1995 as the charitable arm of soccer in the United States to put that surplus to good use.
The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s mission is “to enhance, assist and grow the sport of soccer in the United States.” I think this mission statement sells them short; they’re not only promoting the sport, but also improving the lives of people through their charitable programs. The Foundation has programs like Passback – a nationwide soccer uniform and equipment collection and distribution program to help players in disadvantaged communities; Build a Field – a project in conjunction with FieldTurf to build a total of 50 All Conditions Fields; and Soccer United Recovery Fund, established in September 2005 to help rebuild soccer programs and facilities in Gulf Coast communities affected by the three massive hurricanes of 2005 (hopefully they’ll be expanding this program). The Foundation isn’t just about expanding the reach of soccer. Soccer is a vehicle for them to achieve the same goals as many other charities that affect disadvantaged youth.
Right now, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has one internship opening for college students as a General Intern. According to an Idealist posting, the Foundation is looking for the intern to start in mid-October. The internship is paid, although we don’t know how much, and it offers the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects. If you love soccer and want to intern at a non-profit, give this one a look. The U.S. Soccer is located in Washington, DC, and you can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to search@ussoccerfoundation.org.
Links to Help You Begin Your Research
Were you a better soccer player than I was growing up?
Do I Know Anyone at U.S. Soccer Foundation? - Check LinkedIn | Check Facebook
Tags: Internships, sports, Washington DC
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