NASL Minnesota United FC

NSC Minnesota Stars Partner With The Sanneh Foundation for 2011 Season

Published on April 22, 2011 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Minnesota United FC News Release


BLAINE, Minn. (April 21, 2011) - The NSC Minnesota Stars and The Sanneh Foundation have teamed up for the 2011 season and beyond to provide opportunities for Twin Cities area children to experience soccer in a positive environment and to assist the Foundation-founded in 2003 by US World Cup veteran and St. Paul native Tony Sanneh-in its various initiatives. The Stars will co-sponsor several Foundation initiatives to benefit underserved youth from around the Twin Cities.

"That a former World Cup player and Minnesota soccer legend is still so active and influential in our community speaks not only to the power of soccer to effect change, but of The Sanneh Foundation's determination to enrich and improve the livelihoods of children in the Twin Cities and around the world. We are honored as a club to assist the Foundation in these efforts," said Stars CEO Djorn Buchholz.

The Stars' support of The Sanneh Foundation's efforts to reach out to children begins immediately with a season-long effort to collect ticket donations for the foundation. Fans and corporations can purchase season tickets to donate to The Sanneh Foundation, which will distribute them to children and adult chaperones to attend Stars matches throughout the season. Youth season tickets are just $75, and the donation of one season ticket can send 14 children to a professional soccer match.

"I am delighted to form a partnership between The Sanneh Foundation and the highest level of soccer in Minnesota," Sanneh said. "It will be great to show support and expose the kids in our programs to professional soccer."

Many kids will get that exposure to the game early in the season. The Sanneh Foundation and Stars are co-sponsors of the second annual Foster Family Appreciation Day on May 7. The Sanneh Foundation will raise awareness of the need for caring foster families in Minnesota, which currently has nearly 7,000 children in the foster care system. The Foundation will pay tribute to foster families from throughout the metro area with tickets to the Stars' game against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and pre-game activities, including a soccer clinic conducted by Sanneh and tailgating outside NSC Stadium.

NSC Stadium will also serve as a collection point for the Foundation's Kick It Back initiative, which collects new and gently used soccer balls, shoes and other equipment for redistribution to players in need. Sanneh has leveraged his connections within US Soccer to help Kick It Back collect equipment for players throughout the United States and abroad. The Stars will collect equipment just inside the stadium gates at all 2011 home games. The club will also emphasize May 7 and August 27 as Kick It Back nights.

"I believe the partnership between the Stars and the Sanneh Foundation can build an experience that will lead to lifelong memories for kids in the Foundation's programs, hopefully not just this season, but well down the road in the future," said Stars head coach and director of soccer operations Manny Lagos, a former teammate of Sanneh.

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