Welcome to. . .

COMMUNITY SCOUTREACH DISTRICT DIRECTOR: Jimmy Khatri jkhatri@stlbsa.org 636-627-7414

For more information on Soccer and Scouting, contact Jimmy Khatri.  

KICK-OFF
When: Wednesday, Feb. 3, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. -- practice
Thursday, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. -- Scouting and then Soccer competition with other teams
Where:  

INDOOR SOCCER
When: Feb. 3 - March 11
Where: The Salvation Army, 2740 Arsenal St., St. Louis, MO 63118

OUTDOOR SOCCER
When: March - season end
Where: intersection of Allen Ave. and Missouri Ave., one block from Sigel Elementary School

Please sign the BSA application and return to the school secretary with $15 registration fee. We will sponsor each youth with jerseys, FIFA Soccer ball, field expenses, equipments and T-shirts for Scouting. All we need is for you to be your son’s leader for this exciting program and show up.  

SOCCER & SCOUTS
BRINGING YOUTH TO SOCCER THROUGH A SCOUTING PROGRAM
The Greater St. Louis Area Council delivers the youth development programs of the Boy Scouts of America in the city of St. Louis and 36 Missouri and Illinois counties. The council was founded in 1911 “to serve others by helping to instill values in young people, and in other ways prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime, in achieving their full potential.”  As we reach out to the immigrant community and hard-to-serve areas, we accomplish this mission through the Boy Scouts program of character development, citizenship training and personal fitness. The values we strive to instill are based on those founded in the Scout Oath and Law.

Boy Scouts of America is bringing youth to sports through a Scouting program using soccer. The Soccer and Scouting program brings together the most exciting and fastest growing youth activity (both boys and girls) in the world of sports. Some of the benefits this program will bring are the following:

• Teaches soccer skills and provides healthy competition.
• Offers life-long values that are taught through the Scouting program.
• Engages parents in being parent helpers and soccer coaches.
• Provides family fun and excitement for all the members and the school.
• Leads to involvement in other programs such as camping, archery, swimming, sailing and many more.
• Provides high-level training in soccer to build the youth in performance, skills and agility, as well as prepare them for tournaments.

The message I am trying to bring is “Youth can be prepared to advance and overcome the challenges they face around them through Scouting.” A personal goal of mine is to bridge unity and interests of all different cultures, religious faiths and ethnic backgrounds to understand each other and build a  stronger relationship amongst them and the community.    -- Jimmy Khatri

NEW PARTNERSHIP: PANATHINAIKOS FC-GFD TO SUPPORT GRASSROOTS LEAGUE
The New Dimension League will be a partner with Soccer and Scouting. We are forming a spring league that will be five players vs. five at Jefferson Avenue and Interstate 44. We are very excited about this league as we grow and serve more youth and families. 

The 100-year-old European Professional Club Panathinaikos FC of Athens, Greece, via its Worldwide Youth Academy program, Green Football Development, is working with our Council and the New Dimensions Soccer Club. The goal is to make soccer more accessible and affordable to more children in St. Louis, Illinois and around the globe. 

Children from St. Louis City Public School PTOs will take part in a soccer league aimed at organizing youth from neighborhood schools. Character development and BSA principles will be emphasized along with the best soccer training methods.

The program is for boys ages 7 to 9 who are either new to the game or who want an opportunity to play soccer. Children from four neighboring schools will receive top-level training and play one game per week. Scouting activities that are fun and build character will precede games and practices.

This effort has been in the works for the past year with New Dimensions founders Tim Tettambel and Tom Michler.  They began to bring their respective programs together in a unified vision built upon the desire to create learning environments that are most conducive to younger children. In addition to traditional Scouting events such as camping and outdoor programs, children will be exposed to the New Dimensions model of soccer, which finds its roots in small-sided games and a philosophy closely aligned with UEFA (United European Futbal Association) guidelines. In the New Dimensions model, scores nor league standings are recorded. Rather, the organization seeks to follow a mental model of the recreation of children “playing soccer in the park” with adult involvement.

“Our goal is to give kids a place to play that is stress-free and encouraging of their own creativity. Panathinaikos’ GFD is a good fit for us insofar as understanding a mission over money framework,” said Tom Michler.

Panathinaikos’ GFD International President & CEO Nicholas Karidis, who directs not only the Illinois club but also oversees clubs and academies in St. Louis, Chicago, Florida, Canada, Australia and South Africa, welcomed the opportunity to provide training and financial assistance to the program and foresees taking the program to the other Panathinaikos’ GFD academies. The academies receive support from the parent organization, Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos FC,  an Athens-based perennial Champions League contender.

“It is an honor to be a part of this wonderful program and give back to the community,” said Nicholas Karidis.  “Panathinaikos FC understands the vision of such program and is excited and equipped to provide the needed support -- financial and otherwise -- to ensure the program’s success.”

The first- through second-grade Soccer and Scouting program for boys ages 6-9 will run on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the fall. Please contact Jimmy Khatri for more information.

OTHER NEWS

• We have also partnered with Athletica, the new Women's Pro Team for St. Louis.
• Emko Stucco & Eifs Construction Company is the chartering representative for the first Bosnian Girls Soccer and Venturing Crew 2606. The girls team had a great year and they made many friends. We are looking to expand diversity among all the different races through soccer.