From Civil War To Georgetown
At Soccer in the Streets, we work hard to help our players become young leaders who positively impact their communities. These players often overcome numerous obstacles along their path in life and it fills us with pride to share the example of their success. This month we are sharing the story of Ermias Sium - a former Soccer in the Streets youth player who is now giving back and making his mark on Atlanta.
At Soccer in the Streets, we work hard to help our players become young leaders who positively impact their communities. These players often overcome numerous obstacles along their path in life and it fills us with pride to share the example of their success. This month we are sharing the story of Ermias Sium - a former Soccer in the Streets youth player who is now giving back and making his mark on Atlanta.
He excelled through life and worked hard as a youth player when started playing at our organization at the age of five on the Clarkston boys team. His parents moved from the small East African country of Eritrea, at a time when there was a Civil War.
Young Erimas playing soccer
““ From my humble beginnings, the one constant thing in my life has been the love for soccer, and its ability to build a strong community of friendship regardless of your ethnic background.” ”
Ermias had a passion for soccer and wanted to transfer that into coaching. It was a goal of his starting at the age of 19 while attending Georgia State.
“Growing up in Atlanta, I was aware of the systematic obstacles facing the community the organization serves. Although, I was missing the consciousness of the deeper economic and social barriers".
It was important to him to give back to the younger kids as he was fortunate enough to play for our organization. During his freshman year, Ermias decided to fulfill his dream and become a coach at Soccer in the Streets.
“It was not until being a coach that it took me from being a bystander to a direct change agent in these low-income communities,” Ermias said.
Working with kids with social-economic backgrounds is important to our organization as we navigate through the tough obstacles they face on a daily basis. Ermias gave his knowledge to the kids that were going through tough times.
Ermias coached for a few years with the organization and got great experience working with all the kids. He learned the importance of mentoring, training, and developing young underprivileged children from the same areas he grew up in. As seeing the educational gaps throughout Atlanta.
Ermias at Georgetown University
“During my time as a coach, I also managed and piloted the first training sessions at StationSoccer - Five Points and some Atlanta Public Schools. The disparity I witnessed at the schools I coached at in the APS school system encouraged me to do research on how to solve the highly ignored problem of noninclusive training sessions we sometimes see in soccer practices across the world,” said Ermias. “In turn, I constructed inclusive training sessions in which kids of all ages and skill levels could participate.”
After his time at the organization and schooling at Georgia State, he then graduated in the summer of 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. With his enthusiastic determination for education, he decided to pursue studying for his Master’s Degree in Foreign Services and was later accepted to prestigious Georgetown.
“I deem change should originate at the forefront of the country. I echo with the program pillar of social justice because it is impossible to create justifiable policies,” said Ermias.
Ermias has taken on a variety of jobs from working at Fortune 500 companies to working at tech startups, where he worked as a research analyst to study diverse entrepreneurs and their companies.
Coach Ermias with SITS youth players
Ermias felt he had an impact on people’s lives around him and especially on the youth players’ lives in metro Atlanta communities. Ermias left with a powerful message: “A great teacher learns from his students.”
“I know that statement holds extremely true in regards to my time a the Soccer in the Streets program. I was able to humble myself and truly learn how to listen. During my training sessions with my players, we learned what made each other “tick” and when we listen closely, we were able to build community and the skillset for it to sustain. Lessons like this are transferable to almost any aspect of life and will be a tool for sustainable success for years to come.”
Our coaching team at Soccer in the Streets strives to create positive youth development experiences for our players. Through our evaluation process, we have learned that our participants need more authentic engagement with adults as well as the opportunity to work with peers in teams to develop meaningful relationships. Ermias is an essential part of that initiative for Soccer in the Streets as he not only led off the field, but he chose to leverage his influence to impact others outside of soccer.
you can help kids like ermias fulfill their potential by supporting our free youth programs
Makeisha Robey- Making An Impact In The West End
The mission of Soccer in the Streets goes far beyond the pitch. One of our biggest impacts is our team providing safe community spaces to enjoy the game of soccer for almost 1,000 Atlanta youth. More importantly, these safe spaces help families thrive. Our first family spotlight is the Robey Family, a dedicated and compassionate family.
Makeisha and Ethan Robey
The mission of Soccer in the Streets goes far beyond the pitch. One of our biggest impacts is our team providing safe community spaces to enjoy the game of soccer for almost 1,000 Atlanta youth.
More importantly, these safe spaces help families thrive.
Our first family spotlight is the Robey Family, a dedicated and compassionate family.
Makeisha Robey is a local Atlanta community leader who is also an Atlanta Land Trust board member, small business owner, teacher, and most importantly, mother of seven. Makeisha understands the power of community and the necessity of healthy relationships between youth and adults. Her new business, The Happy Black Parent, creates a way for parents and kids to play and creatively express themselves in a joyful environment.
If she is not working at Pittsburgh Yards helping local families, you can find Makeisha teaching preschool. If she is not teaching, she is most likely taking her incredibly talented children to the community after-school activities. One of her frequent stops on MARTA is our West End StationSoccer location where her son, Ethan, and her daughter Alicia have participated in our program.
Ethan during West End youth practice
When we sat down with Makeisha, she could not help but smile watching Ethan bolt across the pitch. She mentioned how he has grown from rolling on the field during practice to practicing like a professional at home. Of course, that same moment, Ethan did an incredible log roll as he awaited his turn in a scrimmage.
After a quick laugh, Makeisha continued to share the power of community and how Soccer in the Streets has played a small role in her inspirational journey.
“Soccer In the Streets has given my family an opportunity to experience a sport that would have been otherwise possible to fully participate in”, said Makeisha. “Our entire family is able to learn about the lifestyle that is soccer and my son has found an activity he adores.”
Alicia has also been impacted by the Soccer in the Streets program as she played for the West End program for two years and became a certified referee. Makeshia mentioned, “She takes being a referee very seriously. She really cares. Her outfit was always ready. It improved her sense of authority and responsibility.” Now she is a talented artist. You can see her work at the local Pittsburgh Yards Market!
The last couple of years has been difficult for many families trying to navigate the pandemic. With Makeisha’s kids participating in an online school, consistent practices and games have been so helpful in providing healthy social environments for her children. Beyond the peer to peer social interactions, Makeisha shared,
Coach Rajay going over drills for practice
“Ethan has had the same coach the past three years. Coach Rajay, he cares. Ethan even asks for advice. Realistically, if this field was not here, he wouldn’t be playing soccer.”
Coach Rajay sees potential in all the players, especially Ethan.
“Ethan has developed not only into an amazing player but a teammate. And young man. I have seen him grow over the years and it’s beautiful to see.” said Rajay.
At Soccer in the Streets, our Sport-Based Youth Development model provides an atmosphere for local families where all children can learn a variety of interdependent skills that will help them live in a healthy and prosperous community. One vital component of our SBYD model is the focus on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)- defined as the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential to a successful life.
Last season, 96 percent of West End players surveyed had "Advanced Sport SEL Capacities," meaning they scored higher and were more adept in the capacities of Goal-Orientation and Self-Confidence.
The efforts of Makeisha and Coach Rajay show how the Soccer in the Streets family joins together to create pathways of success for our local communities. Soccer truly does have the power to change the trajectory of life even amidst significant challenges. Our team will continue to learn from leaders like Makeisha and her commitment to providing these important opportunities for children.
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Soccer in the Streets’ Annual Footy Ball Gala Raises Over $275,000 For Youth In Atlanta’s Underserved Communities
Soccer in the Streets held its annual Footy Ball Gala on Saturday, November. 13th. The silent auction and gala, hosted by Atlanta United’s President Darren Eales and Bally Sports Broadcaster & Former MLS Player Maurice Edu, raised $275,000 to establish a more level playing field for Atlanta’s youth.
Bally Sports Reporter ,Maurice Edu; Board Member, Bill Ford & Atlanta United President, Darren Eales
Soccer in the Streets held its annual Footy Ball Gala on Saturday, November. 13th. The silent auction and gala, hosted by Atlanta United’s President Darren Eales and Bally Sports Broadcaster & Former MLS Player Maurice Edu, raised $275,000 to establish a more level playing field for Atlanta’s youth.
The event attracted over two hundred and fifty guests from the city’s soccer family and those wanting to see change in Atlanta’s under-resourced communities. VIP panelists Darren Eales and Maurice Edu were one of the main highlights sharing their experiences of the beautiful game.
“It was a pleasure taking part in this year’s FootyBall Gala in support of our partner Soccer in the Streets,” said Atlanta United president Darren Eales. “Our club is committed to providing greater access to the sport of soccer and to strengthening ties to our community through the game we love. The opportunities that Soccer in the Streets offers to young people, and the work they are doing to grow the game at the grassroots level is inspiring. We look forward to continuing our partnership and working together to level the playing field in Atlanta and beyond.”
Maurice Edu & Darren Eales speaking during VIP Event
In addition, Maurice gave insight on the growth of the game since he came through the ranks and both panelists provided the crowd with some foresight on things like the future growth of MLS and the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
“After learning about the incredible work Soccer in the Streets is doing, I was honored to be able to attend the event and meet everything making this possible. The opportunity they’re providing these young kids goes beyond just the sport of soccer”, said Edu. “I was fortunate to play this beautiful game but more importantly grow and learn so many life lessons that helped mold me into the man I am today but it is because I had the opportunity.”
The event saw the presentation of the Annual Napolitano Award. This award is presented to a young person who embodies leadership, service, and enrichment around the game of soccer. Moses Buraruhanya, aged 17, a Clarkston F.C youth player and referee was the recipient of this award.
Director of Programs Tony Carter and Clarkston Coach Adam Adam presenting award to Moses
Soccer in the Streets, Director of Programs Tony Carter spoke of the leadership qualities shown by Moses.
“Moses goes out of his way for others”, said Carter. “ He works on volunteer projects and helps other youth players with their skills. His initiative is an inspiration to other young people on his team and in his community. We are proud of the young man he has become throughout the years.”
Organizations attending and supporting the event included: Northside Athlete Foundation, Cahaba Wealth Management, Connolly Family Foundation, KGC Capital, Mercedes- Benz of Buckhead, Story on the Square, Salesforce, JB Solutions, Brightstone Homes, Integral, T. Dallas Smith & Co. Gratus Capital, Georgia Power, Contemporary Gardens, The MET Atlanta. Fallas Family Vision, and KTS.
Event attendees during gala
The Individual sponsors were: Vicki and Joe Hall, Beth and Carper Pope, Valerie and Vernon O’Neal, Katherine and Tom Dierdorff, Jean and Jason Hanges, Diane and Brian Macaluso, Bill and Michelle Ford, Roberta and Reed Deupree, The Kirsch Family, Dana, and Bill Tucker, and The Kirsch Family.
“It was a spectacular and successful night for our second annual gala”, said Soccer in the Streets Executive Director, Phil Hill. “We are thankful to have the opportunity to bring the Atlanta soccer community together to raise money for youth players.”
PhotoCred: @gracemariephotographyco
