Free Clinic Seeks to Empower Rochester Youth

The Girls Rule Soccer Clinic, a free soccer camp for girls ages 6 to 16, is designed to empower young girls and get them excited about playing soccer. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the clinic runs from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Fauver Stadium on the University of Rochester's River Campus. All participants receive a free T-shirt, water bottle, and Abby Wambach poster. No soccer experience or equipment is necessary to participate.

The Girls Rule Soccer Clinic provides young girls in the Greater Rochester region the opportunity to interact with members of the University of Rochester's Varsity Soccer team as they practice a variety of drills including shooting, passing, and juggling. Participants also will put their new found skills to the test during mini scrimmages. Campus tours will be offered after the clinic and participants are encouraged to return to campus at 4:30 p.m. to watch the varsity squad take on Brandeis University in their first University Athletic Association game of the season.

The clinic was created by members of Grassroot Rochester, a student-driven initiative at the University's School of Medicine and Dentistry that is committed to empowering and educating young people through participation in organized sports. Last spring, Grassroot Rochester member and third-year medical student Michael Barnes connected with student-athletes on the varsity soccer team, and Deon Rodgers, president of River Flow Soccer Club, to plan the first clinic. It drew nearly 35 girls from school districts across the area, including the Rochester City School District and Brighton Central School District. Barnes says the group intends to make the soccer clinics a sustainable effort that can be offered throughout the year, creating more opportunities for girls to play soccer.

Additional sponsors include the Department of Community & Preventative Medicine at URMC, which encourages medical school students to engage in community service activities, the undergraduate Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, MVP Healthcare, and the Athletics Department. For more information, visit grassrootrochester.org for details or call Michael Barnes at 484.919.6903.