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 New York Red Bulls

Red Bulls to 'Kick-It' With Horizon Kids

August 17, 2006 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


SECAUCUS, NJ (Thursday, August 17, 2006) - On Monday, August 21st at 1:30 p.m., more than 100 kids at the Horizon Juvenile Center will face off against members of the New York Red Bulls first team and the Red Bulls Academy teams in a championship soccer clinic and tournament. The event will take place in the Horizon Juvenile Center at 560 Brook Avenue, Bronx, NY.

The first-ever program will feature some of the most recognized past and present members of the New York Red Bulls soccer team, including Amado Guevara, Chris Henderson, Edson Buddle and Giovanni Savarese who will instruct juvenile residents on the sport of soccer, game rules, scoring and techniques. The clinic will culminate in a championship tournament between teams comprised of residents, staff and Red Bulls team members in the facility's internal recreation field.

"This first-ever professional soccer clinic will feature world-class athletes and enable kids in detention to experience this exciting sport first-hand," DJJ Commissioner Neil Hernandez said. "Thanks to the New York Red Bulls, more than 100 young people will meet recognizable role models and compete in a positive, fun and exciting soccer competition."

The pilot project is designed to provide a unique athletic experience for underprivileged and behaviorally challenged juveniles, and empower them to make more positive life choices.

"It's a great opportunity for the Red Bulls to be able to get out into the community and introduce soccer," said Red Bulls midfielder Chris Henderson. "It may be a sport that a lot of kids have not been introduced to and it'll be a good chance to spread soccer and goodwill."

Earlier this month, Department of Juvenile Justice officials met with members of the New York Red Bulls sports and management team to discuss opportunities to make a positive intervention in the lives of our City's young people.

The championship soccer clinic and tournament will provide the facility's more than 100 residents with a first-ever, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to personally meet and interact with professional sports players, learn about the sport and become aware of exciting professional sports opportunities.

In addition to providing an innovative recreational opportunity for children in detention, the clinic is intended to help make a positive intervention in the lives of residents who might otherwise never have the chance to have personal interaction with world-class athletes and contemporary sports stars.

"Where their minds are going to be and what they're thinking about inside, hopefully during the time that we're there, we can show them a good time and give them good memories," said Red Bulls forward Edson Buddle.

The New York Red Bulls Soccer Clinic and Tournament is part of DJJ's continuing commitment to provide unique developmental and inspirational programming for behaviorally challenged youth in detention.

In recent months, residents at DJJ facilities have been visited by Craig Pearce, screenwriter for Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet and Academy Award winning film 'Moulin Rouge,' urban artist James De La Vega, and magician David Blaine.

The Department of Juvenile Justice was created in 1979 to provide care and custody to juveniles involved in the criminal justice system. Each year, the Department provides secure and non-secure detention services to nearly 6,000 youth whose cases await adjudication in New York City Family and Criminal Courts.

For more information about New York Red Bulls Soccer, visit www.NewYorkRedBulls.com . For additional information about the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice, visit www.nyc.gov/html/djj/home.html .


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