James Meara picked up Beckham’s technique of bending the soccer ball. He’s played the sport since he was a child.
“Became a pro at the club and then went to another club called Doncaster Rovers after that,” Meara explained.
He relocated to Pittsburgh after gaining almost seven years of professional experience in London, England. And via his nonprofit organization Pittsburgh Soccer in the Community, he has shared his love of soccer with local children for 20 years.
“We sit them down and go, ‘you know, this is fun, running around kicking balls, scoring some goals, but why are we doing this?'” he explained.
You learn so much more from soccer than just how to play the game.
“Leadership, teamwork, discipline, respecting the opposition — all those things that go hand in hand with life,” Meara says.
Additionally, more than 6,000 children have benefited financially from his nonprofit’s free play programs in at-risk regions.
“Seeing kids that we have here on this field over 15 years ago, and they’re married with homes and kids, and they have their own business, I mean, that’s what it’s all about,” Meara continued.
One of the first schools the nonprofit collaborated with was Arsenal Middle School. There, the athletic director is John Leemhuis.
The cultures of Pittsburgh and Arsenal are mingled together.
Thus, the nonprofit also introduces a sport that is global in scope.
In-school initiatives offered by Pittsburgh Soccer in the Community involve students attending gym classes. It offers summer camp programs in Pittsburgh as well as after-school activities.
Beyond the rewards, playing soccer has helped youngsters grow academically and personally and has increased neighborhood safety.
Meara believes that this mission is much more than just making goals. Soccer education imparts life lessons to the future generation.
The summer and spring schedules for Pittsburgh Soccer in the Community will shortly be released. It features youth play academies that offer scholarships.
Meara states that the organization’s next objective is to place children on a team or league so they can start the process of earning a college soccer scholarship.
