Tag Archives: Youth Soccer GOALS Council

GOALS Council Welcomes Soccer Resilience to a Live Roundtable Discussing Youth Sports and Mental Health

PLANO, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The GOALS Council, a strategic advisory body formed by Stack Sports and influential youth soccer leaders in 2021, will host their second virtual roundtable tailored for youth sports enthusiasts on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, featuring a distinguished panel of industry leaders discussing pressing topics identified by the GOALS Council.

The GOALS Council welcomes a panel of industry leaders including Diego Bocanegra - Former Head Women's Soccer Coach at the University of Houston, Jen Davis - Executive Director of the South Texas Youth Soccer Association, Dr. Brad Miller - Founder of Soccer Resilience and licensed clinical psychologist, and Wells Thompson - Founder and CEO of Soccer Resilience and former professional player of Major League Soccer.

The webinar will expand upon the crucial intersection of youth sports and mental health. Stack Sports believes in an era where the pressures on young athletes seem to intensify with each passing season, understanding the profound impact of sports on mental well-being has never been more imperative. A survey conducted by the Aspen Institute among over 3,000 youth in the Tacoma, Washington area, titled "State of Play Tacoma-Pierce County," reveals a significant number of young athletes grappling with anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation. According to the Aspen Institute's State of Play 2023: "More attention is being paid to the role that positive sports experiences can have on a child's mental health, given that 42% of high school students today say they have experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. That's up from 28% a decade ago. While all teens report increased mental health challenges, girls fare worse than boys."

The panel will delve into this complex landscape, exploring strategies to nurture physical prowess and the mental fortitude necessary for young athletes everywhere to thrive on and off the field.

"The GOALS Council embodies growth, organization, advancement, and learning in soccer, making it the perfect conduit to dive into key issues affecting youth sports," said Frances Fabian, Head of Partner Engagement at Sports Connect. "We are enthusiastic about this upcoming discussion and looking forward to creating actionable solutions at the community, regional, and national levels of soccer to drive positive change in the sport."

To register for the upcoming webinar, please visit https://app.livestorm.co/sportsconnect/goals-council-live-round-table. For more information about The GOALS Council, please visit their website: https://stacksports.com/goals-council.

About Stack Sports:

With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations.

Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on four key pillars - Grassroots Engagement, Participation Growth, Recruiting Pathways, and Elite Player Development. To learn more about how Stack Sports is transforming the sports experience, please visit https://stacksports.com/.

The GOALS Council, a strategic advisory body formed by Stack Sports and influential youth soccer leaders in 2021, will host their second virtual roundtable tailored for youth sports enthusiasts on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, featuring a distinguished panel of industry leaders discussing pressing topics identified by the GOALS Council.

Related link: https://stacksports.com/

GOALS Council Welcomes Influential Trio to Drive Access and Inclusivity in Youth Soccer

PLANO, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- The GOALS Council, a strategic advisory body formed by Stack Sports and influential youth soccer leaders in 2021, has announced the appointment of three new members: Martin Fox, Program Manager for the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program, Chris Solomons, National Director, Community Engagement and Business Development at AYSO, and Dr. Jené Baclawski, Senior Coach Educator at U.S. Soccer.

Entering its third year, the council's mission is to broaden soccer participation by enhancing diversity in youth soccer through community partnerships. The council meets quarterly to focus on strategies to boost youth sports engagement by expanding access to soccer and free play opportunities for children across the United States.

"As a mission-driven sports technology company, we aim to expand youth sports participation. The GOALS Council represents one of our commitments to increasing access to play opportunities," stated Jeff Young, CEO of Stack Sports. "Our goal with initiatives like this is simply to spark conversations and help organizations grow the game of soccer and youth sports as a whole."

According to The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which set a goal of 63.3% of students playing by 2030, playing sports can improve economic, social, and academic outcomes for children and adolescents in addition to the health benefits. The GOALS Council's three new members hold extensive insight into the youth soccer landscape in the United States. They will assist in conversation on how to address the challenges of creating models of equitable access to play for all children.

"The GOALS Council embodies growth, organization, advancement, and learning in soccer, aligning with Stack Sports' mission to make meaningful investments in the sport," said Andrew R. Hiatt, Vice President of Growth and Market Strategy at Stack Sports and former US Youth Soccer Chief Operating Officer. "We are enthusiastic about adding these esteemed members to The GOALS Council, recognizing their passion and commitment to youth soccer. Stack Sports is proud to continue supporting the council in identifying primary initiatives and areas of growth for 2024."

The third annual GOALS Council Summit is scheduled to take place at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Anaheim, California, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. Subsequent meetings are planned quarterly throughout the year.

For more information about the GOALS Council, please visit their website: https://stacksports.com/goals-council

About Stack Sports:

With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations.

Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on four key pillars - Grassroots Engagement, Participation Growth, Recruiting Pathways, and Elite Player Development. To learn more about how Stack Sports is transforming the sports experience, please visit https://stacksports.com/.

The GOALS Council, a strategic advisory body formed by Stack Sports and influential youth soccer leaders in 2021, has announced the appointment of three new members: Martin Fox, Program Manager for the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program, Chris Solomons, National Director, Community Engagement and Business Development at AYSO, and Dr. Jené Baclawski, Senior Coach Educator at U.S. Soccer.

Related link: https://stacksports.com/

GOALS Council Announces 2023 Chairperson and Three New Council Members

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- The GOALS Council, a strategic advisory council created by Stack Sports and youth soccer executives, has announced the appointment of Joel Dragan, the Executive Director of Florida Youth Soccer, as the 2023 Chairperson to head the GOALS Council.

"The GOALS Council is about working together for the holistic good and inspiring more children to try out the sport of soccer," said Dragan. "I hope that we can bring the game to kids who aren't currently participating in any fashion. Too often we get bogged down in the details. You don't need anything other than a ball and an open area to play."

In addition, the GOALS Council welcomed three new members: Jennifer Davis, the Executive Director of South Texas Youth Soccer, Melissa Riemer, the Director of Operations at Arlington Soccer Association in Virginia, and Chelsie Hawley, the Executive Director of Skyhawks Rise.

"GOALS stands for Growth, Organization, Advancement, & Learning in Soccer and represents Stack Sports' mission to invest in youth soccer in a meaningful way, as we are truly invested in helping organizations increase participation and grow the game in our communities," said Andrew R. Hiatt, Vice President of Growth and Market Strategy at Stack Sports and former US Youth Soccer Chief Operation Officer. "We are thrilled to welcome the new members of the GOALS Council and are excited about their energy and commitment to youth soccer. Stack Sports is honored to support the council as they identify their primary initiatives and areas of growth for 2023."

Founded by Stack Sports and leading figures in the soccer industry, the GOALS Council is a national strategic advisory group focused on improving soccer for the next generation. This group of soccer leaders works together to address key issues in the sport and serve as a hub for innovative solutions. Stack Sports is committed to supporting the council's efforts through its partnerships, connections, and resources.

"The purpose of the GOALS Council is to check allegiances at the door and meet together with other advocates for the growth of the soccer in the United States to work together collaboratively in ways that is not normally possible," said Frannie Fabian, Head of Partner Engagement at Stack Sports. "We want to inspire more children to pick up the sport as we know youth sports involvement has lifelong health benefits."

The 2023 GOALS Council meeting will be held at the United Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 11, 2023. Subsequent meetings will be held quarterly throughout the year.

To learn more about the GOALS Council, you can visit its website at: https://stacksports.com/goals-council

About Stack Sports:

With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations, including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars, rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations. Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on three key pillars - Play, Improve, and Engage.

To learn more about how Stack Sports is transforming the sports experience, please visit https://stacksports.com/.

The GOALS Council, a strategic advisory council created by Stack Sports and youth soccer executives, has announced the appointment of Joel Dragan, the Executive Director of Florida Youth Soccer, as the 2023 Chairperson to head the GOALS Council.

Related link: https://stacksports.com/

Stack Sports Partners with Soccer Leaders to Launch National GOALS Council

ATLANTA, Ga. /ScoopCloud/ -- Industry thought leaders across youth soccer have partnered with Stack Sports to launch the GOALS Council, an innovative strategic advisory council. This council brings together forward-thinking stakeholders from across the country to solve pressing problems facing youth soccer today, and work together to better the sport for the next generation.

"GOALS stands for Growth, Organization, Advancement, & Learning in Soccer and represents Stack Sports' mission to invest in youth soccer in a deep sense, as we are truly invested in helping organizations increase participation and grow the game in our communities," said Andrew R. Hiatt, VP of Growth and Market Strategy at Stack Sports and former US Youth Soccer Chief Operation Officer. "We are thrilled to welcome our founding members of the GOALS Council, and are excited about their energy and commitment to youth soccer, and to see what areas of growth the council identifies first as we at Stack Sports are prepared to support in whatever ways possible."

The GOALS Council, a national strategic advisory group founded by Stack Sports and industry luminaries, is an action-oriented group of leaders in the soccer space working together to better the sport for the next generation. This ideas incubator will look to collaborate and address key issues facing the sport. The Stack Sports commitment is to move forward council ideas in the industry via our efforts, connections, partnerships, and resources. The Council has selected "growing the game and increasing engagement" as the primary goal in 2022.

Roberto Aguas, CEO of Copa Holdings and President & Executive Director of Coaching of FC Copa Academy / New Jersey Copa FC, has been selected to serve as the founding chairperson of the GOALS Council.

"It is an honor to serve as the founding council's chair and work closely with these industry luminaries. I accepted this role as I am deeply committed to the council's mission of growing and retaining the players in the sport of futbol we love," said Roberto Aguas. "I look forward to working with the council members and Stack Sports to continue to shine a light on the most important issues and areas we would like to improve in years to come."

In addition to Roberto Aguas, the founding class of the GOALS Council includes:

* Laura Halfpenny, Executive Director of Georgia Soccer

* Joel Dragan, Executive Director of Florida Youth Soccer Association

* Gordon Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Ohio Soccer Association

* Miriam Hickey, Executive Director of High Country Soccer Association

* Joe Guerra, President of The Soccer Club of Guilford, Inc.

* d'Alary Dalton, CEO and Founder of Alta California Sol and Sol Soccer Club

* Diego Bocanegra, Head Women's Soccer Coach at University of Houston

* Mark Botterill, VP of Sales at Augusta Sportswear

The inaugural GOALS Council meeting will be held at the United Coaches Convention in Kansas City, Missouri on January 19, 2022. Subsequent meetings will be held each quarter throughout the year.

About Stack Sports

With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations, including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars, rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations. Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on three key pillars - Play, Improve, and Engage.

To learn more about how Stack Sports is transforming the sports experience, please visit https://stacksports.com/.

Industry thought leaders across youth soccer have partnered with Stack Sports to launch the GOALS Council, an innovative strategic advisory council. This council brings together forward-thinking stakeholders from across the country to solve pressing problems facing youth soccer today, and work together to better the sport for the next generation.

Related link: https://stacksports.com/