The Love.Futbol club, founded by senior Emily Shapiro and juniors Marisa Bruno, Genny Austin and Allison Srour, strives to improve social settings in other countries through a sport many students love: soccer. While soccer teams here are privileged enough to have sleek fields, those who admire the same sport in impoverished countries, like Guatemala, do not receive the same luxury. The founders hope that with the help of other students, the school can use its resources to pay it forward.
“Our goal is to have a field donated by CHS and hopefully do so by the end of next year,” club president Bruno said.
As an organization, Love.Futbol was founded to get kids off the streets in impoverished countries and enroll them in a safe and healthy community activity.
According to the Love.Futbol website, soccer is a catalyst for hope and inspiration, as well as youth development.
“When I play soccer, I know that if I work hard I can improve on myself, friendships, as well as my community,” Bruno said. “Soccer has had a positive influence on me and I know it will on others.”
Although the club is new, its founders hope to inspire a large and active membership. Along with hosting donut and pizza sales in the Bulldog lobby, the club is creating public service announcements and selling t-shirts anyone can purchase for $15 with proceeds benefitting the field.
“One field costs $5, 000,” vice president Shapiro said. “We hope that we can buy one field initially, and than as the club grows so will the number of fields.”
Though the field will be in Guatemala, students will still be able to track its progress.
“We will be sent pictures of the field during construction and after,” Bruno said. “Also, it is even more gratifying to receive letters from children who use the field. The letters are in broken English and Spanish and are really cute.”
According to club member junior Hannah Cooper, this is a great opportunity for students to see that not all kids have a safe place to play sports, and that needs to change.
“We hope that we can get a lot of support and meet our goal: a Churchill sponsored field in Guatemala,” Bruno said.
