New Jersey Youth Soccer announced that it has officially renewed its partnership with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. The partnership will continue a dedicated focus on the development of youth soccer in New Jersey, and the two groups will also work together on a variety of community initiatives.
“The Red Bulls have eagerly supported our wide range of programming, including ODP, State Cups, Recreation and TOPSoccer,” said Evan Dabby, NJYS Executive Director. “We are excited about their desire to expand into additional areas as we collaborate to reach and support programming in urban areas.”
One element of the partnership is the Red Bulls Urban Soccer Program, which is an outreach initiative that serves urban communities in the tri-state area. Utilizing the Red Bulls’ extensive resources and player development expertise, the goal is to provide programs that help engage children in physical activity and use soccer as a vehicle to teach life skills, encourage the values of teamwork and promote discipline, confidence and self-esteem. NJ Youth Soccer and the Red Bulls look to bring the Urban Soccer Program to more communities in 2023.
The NJYS Young Olympians Program will also continue to be a focus of the partnership. Designed specifically for players born in 2012 and 2013, Young Olympians is an introductory stage for those who aspire to play at a high level and provides a pathway to New Jersey ODP. Training sessions aim to improve a player’s technical ability and tactical awareness while providing an introduction to the ODP environment.
“We are excited to continue our strong partnership with NJYS who have been one of our key strategic player development partners,” said David Jervis, Red Bulls Sr. Director of Youth Programs & Academy Business Operations. “Through our relationship with NJYS, we are able to offer thousands of players, coaches and families with an opportunity to participate in Red Bulls Youth Programming and attend matches at Red Bull Arena.
The partnership with the Red Bulls will also maintain a mutual focus on community outreach initiatives such as TOPSoccer, a community-based training and team placement program for young players with disabilities. Through the relationship, an NJYS member club is selected each season to have Red Bulls coaches work with their TOPSoccer program.
Another aspect of this relationship is the NJYS Goal of the Year Powered by the New York Red Bulls, which is an annual award that is presented by NJ Youth Soccer in collaboration with the Red Bulls. First launched in 2021, finalists and winners of the award are celebrated at the NJYS Annual Awards Dinner Presented by RWJBarnabas Health as well as a Red Bulls home match where the goal is shown on the video board.
