((PKG)) LIKE A GIRL SOCCER
((Banner: On the Field))
((Reporter/Camera: June Soh))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: St. Paul, Minnesota))
((KYLE JOHNSON, FOUNDER, LIKE A GIRL))
The goal of Like a Girl is really to keep the love of the game, keep the beauty of the game, and the creativity of the game for the girls. It’s also to give them opportunity to potentially play in college and beyond if that’s something that they want to do.
((HAYBLUTE PAW, MEMBER, LIKE A GIRL))
What I like about Like a Girl is we improve on our soccer skills. And not only do we come from different refugee camps, but we also have similar backgrounds and it helps us build up on our friendship and improves the relationship we have with our coach.
((NATS))
((FRESI THOO, MEMBER, LIKE A GIRL))
I wanted to play soccer and join a club, but I don’t have a lot of money. So, I joined Like a Girl team and it help to put my skill and I get better and last year I get soccer scholarship for college.
((KYLE JOHNSON, FOUNDER, LIKE A GIRL))
The mainstream soccer system is really the club system in this country and to play the club system, you really need money. And I know that there’s many communities of young women that are hugely talented.
((NATS))
On the girl’s side, there’s zero diversity at all. There’s no diversity, and so that's what really struck me about doing this was that I know so many different young women from all different demographics and they weren't being represented on that stage.
((NATS))
Transportation is a big barrier to what we're trying to do and many of them don't have access to transportation for them to play. So, we have two options: is either I pick them up and they can play or I don't pick them up and then they wouldn't be able to play. Because it's a bit faster game, you really have to develop your technical skills and your creativity. It's a chance for you to really be able to fail and then learn from it. That's another big thing that I do is I encourage failure all the time.
((NATS))
I have a very unique training formula and, really, it’s based on just playing. There’s no real coaching. I feel like if you play for two hours straight, you’re going to learn a lot more than standing in lines and playing with cones. It’s a very different philosophy than anything else that’s out there.
((NATS))
((HAYBLUTE PAW, MEMBER, LIKE A GIRL))
My hope is that girls will be able to be more, like, play more and be treated equally as guys playing soccer.
((NATS))
