Soccer In The Streets and Atlanta Public Schools team up to make the Positive Choice™

The Positive Choice™ program grew from a desire by representatives from Soccer in the Streets and the Atlanta Public School System to collaborate on a program that encouraged child development with positive messages that supported core community values. The idea originated from an acronym for CHOICE, which is "Choose Happiness Over Ignorance, Crime and Evil" and the program uses soccer as a vehicle for promoting positive role models for children.

Plus, it's fun, participants say.

“It’s the best sport,” one young player said. “It’s fun - it’s all about teamwork.”

The program was created for children in grades three to five. Positive Choice™ was introduced in several schools as a pilot program.

The program was introduced in Adamsville, Beecher Hills, Cleveland and Continental Colony elementary schools. A three-month timeline was created for the program that paired components of soccer with life skills lessons.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the program and the kids have enjoyed the program," Continental Colony Physical Education teacher Bookecia Foster said. "It teaches them cooperation and emphasizes the team effort."

Coach Foster said the skills they learn on the field can be translated to the classroom. She said the cooperation, teamwork and discipline are essential to the student's lives.

While learning how to dribble a soccer ball, students also learned how to maintain self-control, with passing, they learned effective communications, with shooting, they learned goal setting and along with rules of the game, students learned values and ethics.

"It's a great game," student player Whitney said. "I love it because it's all about teamwork, it's all about strategy. If you don't have teamwork, you don't have a play."

Whitney said she liked working with her fellow players as a team and it's a fun sport.

When setting up the program, coordinators outlined a list of measurable objectives for participants to include development of soccer skills, positive socialization and conflict resolution methods, parental support and continued involvement in community and school soccer programs at the close of the program.

Program representatives said the program has been very successful.

"We saw the program as a way to reach as many at-risk children and their families as possible," Project Manager Jill D. Robbins said. "We saw this as a great way to foster a fun and safe after-school program which provides health, physical fitness and educational opportunities through sport."

Program coordinators say they have met and surpassed their original goals, citing the number of participants and level of involvement as evidence of marked success.

The Positive Choice™ Project Manager said the reception to the program has been overwhelmingly positive.

"Currently, we have almost 200 children kicking a soccer ball in Atlanta and we anticipate excellent growth in future interest in the program," Robbins said.

Representatives said the Positive Choice™ program was designed to reach both at-risk students and their parents to promote healthy behaviors by giving them a positive outlet.

"It's been a really good introduction to a sport that my daughter didn't know about," one parent said. "She seems very energetic about it and she's able to share with us what's going on."

In addition to fostering athletic involvement by participants, Atlanta Schools officials and Soccer In The Streets coordinators see the program as a way to introduce classroom involvement as well as literacy and reading among participants.

"If we can instill a sense of self-worth and accomplishment in these children," Robbins stresses, "then we will see an improvement in their educational lives and their self-esteems."

Program creators hope that the program will also foster a greater interest in soccer among diverse populations.

Soccer has slowly gained in popularity in the United States, but Soccer in the Streets representatives said they are working to further introduce the popular international sport to children who currently may not be aware of the fun and fitness aspects of the sport.

Program developers also cited an increased interest and participation in soccer programs beyond the Positive Choice™-related events as a positive goal of the program.

"Soccer is a great sport and a wonderful activity not only for personal health and development but also for increasing confidence and a sense of accomplishment," Robbins said. "If we can get these kids into the sport through this program so that it carries over into the rest of their lives, then we feel that we have done them an invaluable service."

Program representatives will review the POSITIVE CHOICE™ program and present a final report at the end of the school year.