Growing up in Belfast, Andy Jenkins saw soccer become a source of healing after the Troubles, the decades-long conflict that divided Northern Ireland along Catholic and Protestant lines. But long after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that ended the conflict, some schools remain segregated by religion and “peace walls” still divide neighborhoods. Today, he uses the same sport to support and unite young people from dozens of cultures in one of the poorest and most segregated communities in the U.S.: the South Bronx.
Along with its problems, the neighborhood presented Jenkins with a diversity that felt like a marvel. “I’d never seen anything like it,” said Jenkins. “It was a beautiful snapshot of a community represented through soccer.”
At South Bronx United (SBU), the nonprofit where Jenkins is director of soccer programs and youth development, he’s spent the past nine years using soccer to connect youth with career paths, academic support, mentorship and services ranging from housing assistance to immigration legal services.
From segregation to diversity on the field
The World Cup’s presence in New York has only reinforced the group’s vision of soccer as a vehicle for unity and change. “What the World Cup looks like right now,” Jenkins said, “is what the South Bronx always looks like: a collection of people from different cultures coming together through soccer.”
On any given team, Jenkins said, players might speak English, Spanish, French and other languages. Teammates often translate for one another, creating friendships across cultures.
There’s also a practical side to what SBU offers. The cost of soccer programming and membership in private soccer leagues has continued to increase across the city. “Having a safe place to play soccer — something our kids are so passionate about — also creates a safe place for families to gather, build community and support one another at a time when much of the environment around them doesn’t always feel inclusive,” Jenkins said.
Competitive youth soccer in New York City can cost families roughly $3,500 a year, Jenkins said. SBU raises funds from foundations, corporations and individual donors to support free and low-cost programming serving participants as young as 2. Fees range from $30 for indoor soccer classes to $30 per season for recreational soccer and $85 annually for its global youth league. Annual fees can be waived for families facing severe financial hardship.
Beyond soccer
Jenkins trains SBU coaches to value empathy and mentorship as much as player development. He says SBU’s approach to coaching is “less about yelling and winning, and more about how we build strong foundational relationships with young people in our community so we can support them with things beyond the game of soccer.”
Coaches are trained to build trust first so young people feel comfortable talking about challenges involving school, housing, food insecurity or immigration. Those conversations often lead to referrals to SBU’s social worker, legal team or community partners.
At the SBU Academy, middle and high school students receive tutoring, math and English workshops, and preparation for the Regents Exams and SAT tests. The SBU Clubhouse Café near Yankee Stadium doubles as a community hub and a place for youth to gain workplace experience. Past participants have also returned to work with Jenkins as soccer coaches.
The staff of about 30 serves more than 1,900 youth annually. The organization’s model for wraparound services has produced results. While graduation rates in the South Bronx significantly lag behind the city average, SBU reports that, since 2012, every student in its program has graduated from high school. About 92% of participants also enroll in college within a year.
Playing the long game
Nearly every participant dreams of playing professionally. Rather than discourage those ambitions, Jenkins said, SBU encourages students to pursue soccer while preparing for other futures. One player dreamed only of playing in Europe. Today, he is thriving at Syracuse University after Jenkins urged him to go to college first. He said the student still jokes that Jenkins “ruined my dreams” but admits it was the most important conversation anyone had with him.
While the World Cup hasn’t changed the organization’s day-to-day work, Jenkins hopes the tournament’s attention creates lasting opportunities. “The world is looking at New York City through soccer,” he said.
He hopes it will allow South Bronx United to expand, hire more coaches and serve children currently on its waiting list. Expansion is limited not only by funding but also by field space. SBU practices at Macombs Dam Park near Yankee Stadium. The program has a waiting list, he said, because it can’t accept more players without more field access.
For Jenkins, the organization’s success is best measured by the stories of immigrant youth and others who have, in some cases, literally come a long way since joining SBU.
He remembers one teenager who joined after traveling to New York alone from Liberia after losing his mother. Soccer helped him find a community, Jenkins said, while coaches and staff helped him finish high school, connect with resources and continue his education. Today, he’s in college and is an all-conference athlete.
–
Email at info@southbronxunited.org.
Follow on Instagram at @southbronxunited.
(718) 404-9281
Visit in person at the SBU Clubhouse at 814 River Ave., 2nd floor, Suite 3.
