n 2004, Darius Shirzadi, a coach and former team official with the Rhode Island Stingrays and the New England Revolution, recognized a crucial need in the town of Central Falls. Many middle and high school students were struggling
academically while feeling disconnected from both school and the community, so Shirzadi co-founded Project GOAL.
“At that time, there was an extremely high dropout rate for kids in the high school, over 60 percent,” explains Shirzadi, who now serves as executive director, and was then operating a soccer camp. “The kids and families we worked with wanted to know how we could merge the importance of education with soccer, which is a major part of the culture
in the community.”
The result was Project GOAL, a free co-ed program that ties academic responsibility, mentoring, and school success with the reward of soccer. From the outset, the program faced considerable challenges, including transportation and fees. “We came up with the idea of having a free program that offers mentoring, tutoring, and transportation where needed, along with providing school supplies and soccer equipment for those who needed it,” says Shirzadi.
Prior to getting on the soccer pitch twice weekly, students attend a 90-minute after-school academic enrichment session, led by certified educators. Ninety minutes of soccer training, led by experienced coaches, follows. Students who demonstrate positive attitudes in school are rewarded with tournaments and team travel. “They’re not necessarily there to spend the extra time in class, although they do see the benefit of it,” adds Shirzadi. “It teaches all those good things like time management and self-discipline. We’re trying to emphasize that too.”
Since its inception, Project GOAL has served over 2,000 middle school students. Over 95 percent have graduated from high school, with most going on to higher education. The non-profit has been recognized by soccer’s global governing body, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), as one of the best programs of its kind. “There are kids who go on to be bankers, lawyers, one is a captain in the Air Force flying F16 fighters, and we’ve had a couple of professional soccer players,” says Shirzadi. “We just had our first student graduating from Central Falls who has been accepted at Harvard.”
“We have student athletes who spend time with the kids in the classroom and on the soccer field,” adds Shirzadi. “Members of the Brown women’s soccer team come every week, and they’ve been doing that for the last several years. They are student and athlete role models for our kids; that’s what we’re stressing. If you can combine both those things well, then you’ve really written the ticket for yourself to go to college and have a better opportunity in life.”
Kick off summer with a pair of events supporting Project GOAL’s ongoing success.
May 18: GOAL Cup: Enjoy a day of friendly competition, inspiring stories, and community spirit, all in support of the non-profit’s mission to empower youth through sports and education.
June 6: Annual Gala: Be part of a special evening designed to celebrate community, education, and the transformative power of soccer. Highlights include gourmet food, a live auction, raffle, and more.
Both events are held at Centreville Bank Stadium, Pawtucket. Learn more at ProjectGoal.org.
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