CHAMPIONS IN ACTION INC

In 2002, Jonathan Jakubowski began designing the model for what would eventually become Champions in Action. In 2008, after several years of building relationships and researching the model's feasibility, Champions in Action was officially founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.Today, Champions in Action has hosted soccer camps, clinics, and leagues, facilitating countless hours of mentoring. Throughout the world, soccer is the passion of millions of youth. Whether they're playing on the field or in the streets, soccer is more than just a fun game, it's a source of hope. Things like violent crime, broken families and neighborhood gangs are powerful forces working against inner-city Guatemalan youth. But we also know that when kids have a mentor in their community, and when that mentor uses soccer to coach life, those kids can reach their potential and follow their dreams and no circumstance can hold them back. Having a mentor helps teenagers build their interpersonal skills and self-confidence, which supports their cognitive and emotional development. More importantly, our mentors encourage the youth to make good decisions and pursue their dreams, which can change their lives forever. Champions in Action provides a year of soccer and mentorship to at-risk youth. Specifically, we target those most susceptible to gang participation, drug and alcohol abuse, and violence. Youth attend a week-long soccer camp where Champions in Action connects them with mentors from their neighborhood. The goal is to establish a long-term mentoring relationship where the mentors teach the fundamentals of soccer and faith and set the youth on a better path with a brighter future for the next year, or longer. Youth who attend our camp return home to continue meeting and practicing with their mentor every week, where they are coached in both sports and life. At the Mentor School, experts in soccer, economic factors and ministry train Champions in Action's mentors in best practices for coaching sport and coaching life. Mentors are changing the game for a generation of Guatemalan youth. But the work is only beginning.