City F.C. News

City Football Club (“City F.C.”) is the fortunate recipient of more than a dozen Major League Soccer match balls, goalkeeping gear, 50 pairs of soccer socks, and more soccer equipment from D.C. United.

City F.C. and other students at the School Without Walls attended the MLS Cup at RFK Stadium in 2007.

D.C. United’s equipment manager David Brauzer arranged for the program to purchase the heavily-discounted equipment ahead of D.C. United’s annual “Holiday Equipment Sale,” with all proceeds from City F.C.’s purchase going to benefit D.C. United’s charitable arm, United for D.C. – the same beneficiary of the funds raised by the Holiday Equipment Sale.

“Dave Brauzer and United for D.C.’s Sara Peterson have consistently been great friends of our program,” says City F.C. Executive Director Dan Driscoll. “They have helped us procure the best equipment for our kids at significant discounts, and with the proceeds going to United for D.C. programs like Kicks for Kids, we are happy to support initiatives that are directly benefiting local outreach efforts in like City F.C.”

Kicks for Kids has provided City F.C. with free tickets to D.C. United professional matches, as well as the 2007 MLS Cup, Major League Soccer’s championship game, which was played at RFK Stadium, the home of D.C. United.

Brauzer took time out of his schedule to set aside the equipment for City F.C. in advance of the team’s holiday sale, ensuring that Driscoll and fellow City F.C. co-founder Roy would be able to provide their expanding program with the best equipment on the market. They were also able to purchase black uniform shorts for the School Without Walls, where Driscoll and Kelly coach the boys’ varsity team.

““DCU has consistently been a good friend of our young program,” says Kelly, a Howard Law student who has coached City F.C. since founding with Driscoll in 2007. “This most-recent gesture, like all of the others, will definitely help our players reach their performance goals. Our kids will be playing with same balls as the professionals, which boosts their self-esteem and encourages them focus and take the sport seriously.”

Driscoll agrees.

“Time and time again, when we seek the support of D.C. United, the club and its wonderful staff have been more than happy to help our kids,” he adds. “There are very few professional sports franchises in the world that take such an interest in their communities as D.C. United does. When our kids and volunteers put on a D.C. United shirt or cheer for the team at a game, there’s an extra level of pride knowing that we are supporting a club that supports our program and our city as well.”

City Football Club (“City F.C.”) was established in 2007 to provide District youth with a program combining competitive soccer and first-rate mentorship and college preparation. City F.C. is organized exclusively for charitable purposes as an educational non-profit. Its objective is to bring together the City’s youth for educational and recreational opportunities, including but not limited to soccer.

On Saturday, Dec. 6, the 11th and 12th graders of City Football Club (“City F.C.”) were the privileged recipients of a special college application workshop conducted at the Maret Schoolat the Maret School in Washington by Maret’s college guidance counselor, Shelley Brody.

The Maret School's college counselor Shelley Brody (right) chats with City F.C. senior Amit Singh (left) about his college applications and undergraduate goals.

With City F.C.’s attendees facing a variety of challenges in the college application process – from applying for admission by U.S. colleges and seeking financial aid to navigating the obstacles of applying as a foreign student to an American college – Ms. Brody’s offer to help was a welcome gift.

Ms. Brody met with each student-athlete one-on-one to discuss their academic performance, thoughts on college, their passion for soccer, and different interests they would like to pursue. After assessing each student’s academic strengths and weaknesses, Ms. Brody offered insights into different universities that may fit well with their interests and advised City F.C.’s students on ways to continue to improve their academic performance.

She also notified them of special academic opportunities, such as the ethnic-specific scholarships of which the students would not have otherwise been aware.

City F.C.’s  students found their meetings with Ms. Brody both helpful and motivational.  Although the college application process can be intimidating and stressful for some, these students felt ready to take on these challenges after their sessions with Ms. Brody.

“It was definitely helpful,” says Mrinal Widge, a City F.C. junior who attends Wilson HS. “Ms. Brody asked me about my interests and talked with me about schools I should look at. I left with a list of colleges that she said I should be interested in.”

Widge’s teammate, Amit Singh — a City F.C. captain and senior at School Without Walls — was able to discuss the different colleges and universities in which he was interested. Reviewing his college application essay with Ms.Brody, Amit learned that his essay was a great start, but that he needed to shorten its length in order to capture the attention of college admissions readers.

City F.C. juniors Mrinal Widge (right) and Alem Woretaw (left) prepare for their conversations with Ms. Brody.

“Ms. Brody’s offer to help our kids was extremely generous, and our attendees all said that the feedback they received was both honest and helpful,” says City F.C. co-founder and Executive Director Dan Driscoll. “The college application process is extremely confusing, and City F.C. is committed to ensuring that the likes of Ms. Brody are there to help unlock its mysteries.”

The workshop was conceived and organized by City F.C.’s Academic Program Directors, Terrill Keiner – a graduate of Maret and also the University of Southern California – and Rena Pacheco-Theard.

“Terrill and Rena are two of the most talented and put-together individuals I know,” adds Driscoll. “Our kids owe them a great thanks for setting up opportunities like the workshop at Maret. Their efforts are critical to City F.C.’s success as a provider of programs intended to support our students’ successes in higher education and beyond.”

City Football Club (“City F.C.”) was established in 2007 to provide District youth with a program combining competitive soccer and first-rate mentorship and college preparation. City F.C. is organized exclusively for charitable purposes as an educational non-profit. Its objective is to bring together the City’s youth for educational and recreational opportunities, including but not limited to soccer.

It’s no secret that the SAT is a test that can be ‘learned’ – familiarity with the test and regular practice of the skills it requires being crucial to success – and City Football Club (“City F.C.”) is committed to ensuring that its players get every opportunity to score well on the critical college admissions test.

City F.C.'s Kemda "Eto'o" Gilbert Boli works on his homework while unofficial mascot Mason LeChat tutors him

“When I had to take the SAT, I discovered that diligent studying and practice habits could really boost one’s score,” recalls City F.C. co-founder and coach Dan Driscoll. “The test prep books and courses helped a good bit, but I also discovered some tricks of my own that I think really gave me an edge.”

Now, Driscoll is teaming up with City F.C.’s volunteer coordinator, Dylan Butler, to provide City F.C.’s students with free SAT tutoring in advance of the January 2009 test date. The pair are committed to the idea that the rising costs of SAT prep courses should not keep deserving kids from the opportunity to earn top marks.

“Dylan is going to teach the kids the math sections, and I’m going to work with them on the verbal and writing components,” says Driscoll, who now earns his living in journalism. “These strategies are really simple and, if a kid cares enough to put in the time, they really work.”

Butler and Driscoll will each work with City F.C.’s students once a week starting Dec. 13. Driscoll will cover the verbal and writing portions of the test on Wednesdays after school, while Butler will teach the math sections on Sundays at 2 p.m.

City Football Club (“City F.C.”) was established in 2007 to provide District youth with a program combining competitive soccer and first-rate mentorship and college preparation. City F.C. is organized exclusively for charitable purposes as an educational non-profit. Its objective is to bring together the City’s youth for educational and recreational opportunities, including but not limited to soccer.

For more information, visit CityFC.org or contact the club directly by emailing CityFCDC@gmail.org.

As the Fall 2008 soccer season comes to a close, City Football Club (“City F.C.”) is revving up for an exciting winter of academic and athletic opportunities for D.C. high school students.

Last year's "open gym" futsal at Turkey Thicket laid the foundation for City F.C.'s travel soccer team, and this year a girls-only session will be offered though DPR to form a girls' team in the spring.

“We’re kicking off several important programs this winter, from free SAT tutoring and college application support to our annual indoor futsal program and a revival of our weight-training program,” says City F.C. co-founder and coach Dan Driscoll. “We just marked our one-year anniversary this November, and I’m thrilled to see the progress of our program and the kids participating in it.”

With a new City F.C. girls soccer team set to launch in the spring for D.C. high school players, Driscoll and fellow co-founder and coach Roy Kelly have worked with District Parks and Recreation (DPR) to guarantee a girls-only “open gym” futsal session sponsored by DPR at Sherwood Recreation Center, which is set to begin Dec. 20. The girls futsal program will mirror City F.C.’s boys program, and was made possible by DPR Soccer Coordinator Abudullah Tunis and the staff at Sherwood Recreation Center.

“Sherwood is a good location near a metro station, and we are very pleased to be able to work with DPR to provide these kinds of playing opportunities to kids in Our City,” Driscoll notes. “Roy Kelly deserves so much credit for setting this up. He and Tunis have been really committed to building futsal in D.C. and ensuring that these open-gym opportunities exist for kids. City F.C. is committed to providing free soccer opportunities to District youth, and Roy and Tunis and everyone at DPR have gone the extra mile to make this possible.”

The winter futsal “open gym” sessions are open to District high school students. A two-hour slot for high school-age girls begins Dec. 20 and will run through March 2009 on Saturdays – 10 a.m. to noon – at Sherwood Recreation Center.

Beginning Dec. 13, a three-hour session for high school-age boys will also take place on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, site of the original futsal clinics. Kelly and Driscoll are set to return and have recruited several qualified volunteers with strong playing and coaching backgrounds to help out.

In addition, members of City F.C. are meeting with Driscoll twice a week for informal weightlifting sessions at Sport & Health Clubs’ Northwest branch. Driscoll admits that he needs the workouts as much as the kids do.

“Weight training is a critical part of developing teens’ physical structures, and we really believe in informing them of proper training and dietary habits to ensure they stay fit and healthy.”

Halk-jokingly, Driscoll adds: “Of course, I need to hit the gym myself, so this forces me to get over there and work out!”

City F.C. provides players with a workout manual, and they learn how to conduct their workouts independently, providing them with insights that the coaches hope will prove useful to the players after they graduate high school and begin their college careers.

“We’re all about providing kids with the tools to succeed, both in the classroom and on the pitch,” says Driscoll. “It’s up to them what they do with the help we offer, but they seem eager to make the most of their opportunities, and even more, to pass what they learn from us on to their friends.”

City Football Club (“City F.C.”) was established in 2007 to provide District youth with a program combining competitive soccer a

nd first-rate mentorship and college preparation. City F.C. is organized exclusively for charitable purposes as an educational non-profit. Its objective is to bring together the City’s youth for educational and recreational opportunities, including but not limited to soccer.

For more information, visit CityFC.org or contact the club directly by emailing CityFCDC@gmail.org.