Strength through soccer.

Chester Upland Youth Soccer strengthens the communities it serves by mentoring youth, engaging families, and promoting healthy living.

We provide after-school and weekend soccer programming, mentorship and nutrition education for children in the traditionally underserved, suburban Philadelphia communities of Chester, Upland and Eddystone.  Using the U.S. Soccer Foundation's Soccer for Success curriculum, our trained, caring coach-mentors help children enjoy and embrace active, healthy lifestyles.

Chester Upland Youth Soccer engages not just children playing soccer, but also their families. Parents, guardians and coach-mentors connect at a variety of events such as the Sweet Potato Dinner, the Fall Jamboree and the Spring Play Day. There, we are able to provide healthy meals and snacks, gift certificates to local vendors and free health and nutrition tips, and exchange ideas for further support.

Why do we do what we do? Here are some compelling reasons:

• According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the most dangerous period for juveniles to both commit and be victims of crime are the hours immediately following the school day. This program provides participants with a healthy and productive way to spend after-school hours in a cooperative and well-supervised environment, engaging in activities that lead to improved self-esteem and confidence.

• In the United States, nearly one in three children is overweight or obese. The problem is even more acute in underserved populations. Regular soccer activities provide a tool to combat childhood obesity while promoting healthy lifestyles through nutrition education.

• Young athletes do better in school, devote more time to studying, think more about their future, aspire to attend and graduate college, and have lower suspension and expulsion rates. (“The Benefits of Youth Sports,” 2017 National Council for Youth Sports)

• Mentored youth are more likely to aspire to and attend college, more likely to take leadership roles in school and extracurricular activities, and more likely to regularly volunteer in their communities; additionally, these positive mentoring effects have a greater impact on at-risk youth. (“The Mentoring Effect,” 2014)

• Every child deserves the opportunity to play youth sports, but economic inequality leads to inequity in sports participation rates.

You can help! Complete our form to volunteer.