Norwich Times - Grassroot Soccer Article

8/14/2019 Norwich Times - Grassroot Soccer Article

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Over the last few weeks, you may have seen Paul

Foster strolling along the back roads of Union

Village and Norwich wearing a new pair of

walking boots. Paul, a long-time Norwich resident and

Director of Guidance at Kearsarge Regional High

School, is breaking in his boots to climb Mount

Kilimanjarothe highest free-standing mountain in the

worldthis summer.

But Paul, a humanitarian, isnt embarking on thejourney just for fun. Hes preparing for an eleven daytrip with Climb for Sight, a non-profit organizationwhose aim is to reduce avoidable blindness by train-ing and providing equipment to eye care doctors indeveloping countries. The project is sponsored bythe Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity of

Pennsylvania (VOSH/PA). This climb will take sixdays and will be led by professional guides with theassistance of two porters for each climber. Themoney that participants like Paul fundraise (a totalfundraising goal is $10,000 to $11,000 in order to go

Norwich, Vermont 05055 S u m m e r 2 0 0 9 Vol. XII No. 4

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Norwichs NewTown Manager:

Pete WebsterAnne Clemens

As an economic geography major at Dartmouth College in theearly 1970s, Pete Webster wasnt thinking of a career in townpolitics. If I had known 35 years ago that I would be going

into local government I would have loved to have been a government

major and taken more classes from Vincent Stargazer, the head of thedepartment at that time, he says.In 1974, after spending two years as a recreation director in

Grantham, New Hampshire and at a ski resort in Utah, Webster wentto work for his dad who owned both a large auto body shop and thefranchise Ziebart Rust Proofing in East Hartford, Connecticut. Overthe next eight years Pete and his brother Tom added three more fran-chises to their business. As car dealerships offered their own rust proof-ing option to the cars they sold, Webster and his brother knew thatthey needed to diversify and, in 1979, they applied for a Midas fran-

continued on page 13

Norwichs Grassroot Soccer:Developing Young Leaders

in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS

Emily Robbins

Grassroot Soccer, a nonprofit organizationbased in Norwich has goals that reach farbeyond its headquarters in the small

Vermont town. GRS, as most people refer to it, pro-vides African youth with knowledge, life skills andsupport to live HIV-free. Utilizing a curriculumdeveloped by 1992 Dartmouth-graduate and GRSCEO, Tommy Clark, GRS teaches HIV preventionthrough a series of activities and games imple-mented by soccer communities in more than adozen African countries. continued on page 8


Tommy Clark grew up in Scotland, where hisfather played on the Scottish national team. In themid-80s, when Tommy was 14, he and his familymoved to Zimbabwe for his father to coach profes-sionally. As the political climate began to deterioratea year later, Tommy and his family moved toHanover, where his father took a job coaching theDartmouth Mens Soccer Team.

Tommy finished high school in Hanover, goingon to play college-level soccer on his fathers team atDartmouth. After completing his undergraduatedegree, Tommy moved back to Africa, where he

Paul Fosters Climb for Sight

Mayfest 2009

Nick Colacchio, center; Molly Turco, far right, 2005-2006 interns in Gabarone, Botswana with Grassroot Soccer trainers.


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PAGE 8 S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 THE NORW I C H T I M E S

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taught English and played professional soccer. Zimbabwe had changedduring the years that I had been gone, Tommy remembers. Citysquares that had teemed with artisans selling crafts and vendors sellingfood and staples were empty. European tourists who had roamed thegraceful streets of Bulawayo were conspicuously absent. Families weremissing uncles, mothers, sisters, and grandparents. AIDS had struck.After a year of attending funerals caused by the then-unnamed disease,Tommy returned to Dartmouth to get his medical degree. By 2001,when Tommy graduated from Dartmouth Medical School, his friendsin Zimbabwe had reported an increasingly devastating number of

deaths in their country.During a community advocacy rotation that Tommy elected as part

of his medical residency, he conceived of the idea to use soccer as avehicle for educating young Africans about their most prevalent healththreat: HIV/AIDS. There are fifty percent more cases of HIV in 15-24year olds every year, Tommy says. And HIV is very preventable. Asport as popular as soccer seemed like a good way to increase awarenessabout the disease and begin to change cultural norms and socialdynamics.

Teaming up with a group of men who had also lived and played pro-fessional soccer in Zimbabwe, Tommy and co-founders Methembe Ndlovu, Ethan Zohn and Kirk Friedrich started Grassroot Soccer,which became a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization in 2002.

Tommy based the GRS curriculum on Albert Banduras Social

Learning Theory, evaluating its success from the beginning stages.Consultants such as Bandura helped Tommy develop the pilot project.Tommy and his team launched the interactive HIV-prevention cur-riculum in Zimbabwe in 2003. After an independent evaluation by theThe Childrens Health Council, a Stanford University affiliate group,The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation granted GRS a three-year pro-gram grant in 2005. Using this money, GRS current goals include: 1.Putting 1.25 million African youth through the GRS program by theend of 2010 while leaving a lasting legacy in southern Africa; 2.Utilizing soccer and powerful role models to reduce HIV transmissionamong youth; 3. To have the most effective HIV prevention educationand life-skills curriculum in Africa.

Bill Miles, a lawyer from Pennsylvania, joined GRS two years ago.In charge of business development, Bill ensures that the funding GRSreceives from individuals, corporations, foundations, and the govern-ment translates into graduates from their program.

When Bill and his wife Pam moved from California five years ago,Norwich seemed to lack the mix of ethnicities native to Silicon Valley.I started looking for a career that had broad views of the world, thatwould be rewarding to my family, and the community into which wemoved, Bill says.

During this job search, Bill met Tommy on the field of a pick-up soc-cer game in Hanover. Bill, who also played college soccer, jumped onthe opportunity to work at GRS when Tommy told him they were inneed of someone to run the operations in Norwich. It was a good fit,Bill says. The position was a perfect opportunity to be involved in agreater cause, but also give back to Norwich.

Giving back to Norwich, as Bill describes it, happens in severalforms, the most popular of which is GRS internship program. Life-longNorwich natives Molly Turco and Nick Colacchio went through theinternship program in 2005-2006. The program is for US college grad-uates, primarily who have played soccer, to spend a year in Africa vol-unteering for GRS, Bill explains. GRS interns must earn $10,000 to

match what GRS will pay to support their stay. Its a big commit-ment, Bill explains.

Molly and Nick were among the first GRS interns to help teachHIV-prevention in Africa. They were the ground breakers, GRS firstUS employee, David Harrison says. David, the GRS office manager

Norwichs Grassroot Soccer Continued from page 1

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Children playing the Fact versus Nonsense activity in the GRS curriculum.


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PAGE 1 6 S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 THE NORW I C H T I M E S

who does everything from empty-ing the trash to editing legaldocuments, describes the twoMiddlebury graduates as the firstfoot soldiers for GRS.

GRS employees, including

Tommy, taught Nick and Mollyhow to recruit and traincoaches once they arrived inBotswana. My favorite part ofmy time with GRS was trying toget local soccer players to partici-

Norwichs Grassroot Soccer Continued from page 8

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pate, Molly says. To do so, andfor our own enjoyment, Nick, ourGRS colleagues and I all joinedlocal soccer teams. This front-line recruitment proved effectivein gathering support from Africanpartners; Once we recruitedcoaches, we taught them gamesin our curriculum, enabled themto get out into the community toteach the youth, monitor andevaluate the program.

Molly and Nick believestrongly in the organizations cen-tral missionto develop leaderswho will help African youth getto the root cause of the HIV pan-demic. We give the peer educa-tors/trainers tools and support sothey can educate their youth in adeep and experiential way thatcreates lasting behavior change,Molly explains. We, of course,want to save lives, but we alsowant to build leaders who canchange the system, Bill Milessays.

Another way GRS works tochange the system is by inte-grating role models into the GRScurriculum. Based on Albert Ban-duras Social Learning Theory,which states that role models canaffect behavior change, GRSfocuses on providing positive fig-ures. GRS publication, ExtraTime often includes posters ofprofessional soccer players thatchildren can hang on their walls.

Interns, Bill says, gain as muchas the coaches and GRS gradu-ates (children who have com-pleted the eight hours of GRSactive learning curriculum) whiletraining peer educators; they gain

leadership and life skills. We hadthe agency to improve the pro-gram, while gaining leadership,management, teamwork, finan-cial, and other life skills as well astough life lessons, all of whichyoud be hard-pressed to find in aanother role, Molly agrees.

Molly believes that GRStaught her that problems, such asHIV-prevention, can be tackledone bit at a time. I think thewhole premise and lesson of GRSand its leaders, especially Tommy,

is that a problem as huge as HIVis not insurmountable if everyonejust finds their role, does it to theabsolute best of their capabilities,and works with others for theother pieces of the puzzle, shesays.

Having seen the successes ofGRS model, Molly and Nick arenow pursuing dreams of changingthe world through MargaretMeads principle that it onlytakes one person to change theworld. Nick, now a second yearmedical student at Columbia,plans to integrate global healthinto his career path and Molly,after two years at The New YorkTimes Sales Development willattend University of Pennsyl-vania to do a graduate-level, post-back year to study medicine andinternational relations. Inspiredby their time with GRS, Nickand Molly call the organizationtheir first love.

When asked how his contri-butions were worthwhile andwhat continues to motivateNicks work, he can only answerwith an anecdote. How can youquantify tearful gratitude? Ordocument zealous optimism? heasks. Nicks last interaction withEllen, a woman in Kopong,Botswana whom he trained to bea GRS coach, worked at theLazarus House of Hope AIDShospice in Kopong. When I firstmet her she was desperate to

teach HIV prevention to hercommunity Nick writes in anessay about how his GRS experi-ence has confirmed his interest instudying medicine. Days before Ihad to fly back to the US, I vis-ited Ellen and the other KopongGRS coaches to bid my farewell.With tears welling in her eyesand a flutter in her voice, sheeagerly reported to me that theparents of three of her GRS grad-uates had gone out of their way tothank her. They thanked her fornot only educating their childrenabout HIV/AIDS transmissionand prevention, but also forempowering them to teach oth-ers. This sentiment motivatesevery GRS volunteer.

Both Molly and Nick haveused the skills they learnedthrough GRS in the States, aswell. Molly has served as anambassador, traveling to NewEngland prep schools to speak

about global HIV, prevention,and how US high schoolers coulddesign fundraisers to help and toraise awareness. Once back fromAfrica, GRS hired Nick to runthe US awareness, advocacy andfundraising campaign, Kick-AIDS. Through our KickAIDSProgram we are empoweringAmerican students to join ourfight against the spread ofHIV/AIDS, Nick explains. Hehas lectured to more than 5,000high school students. Our efforts

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Meet Norwichs 2009-2010 GRS Interns

THE NO R W IC H TIM E S S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 PAGE 1 7

Everyone at Grassroot Soccer is excited to introduce SarahCallaway and Austin Haynes as this years interns. Both Sarahand Austin are a great fit for Grassroot Soccer, Lucas Richardsonsays of the future interns. Lucas, who graduated from Dartmouthin 2007 as Captain of the Dartmouth Mens Soccer Team, is incharge of the internship program. He recruits and interviewsmostly college seniors from around the United States to be part ofGRS. It was especially nice to meet both Sarah and Austin,

Lucas says. You can tell a lot from meeting someone and I knowthey will both contribute a lot to GRS.

Sarah, who Lucas describes ashaving very positive energy, vol-unteered in the GRS office thiswinter. She graduated from St.Lawrence University in May with adouble major in English andFrench. While she did not play incollege, Sarah has always been asoccer fan. She considers womensoccer players such as BrandiChastain and members of theWomens Olympic team inspiring,female role models. Sarah has trav-eled since she was a child, always wanting to explore and learnmore about other cultures. She is beyond excited to be a GRS

intern this summer. While I know it will be challenging and dif-ficult, Sarah says, I also know that it will be a very rewardingexperience and that it will give me the chance to make animpact. Lucas is confident that Sarahs enthusiasm matches thatof his colleagues.

Austin Haynes, who graduated from Bates in 2007, will joinSarah on their journey to Africa. As a child, Austin participated

in Lightning Soccer (started byTommy Clarks father, Bobby) andhas played on the Upper ValleyMens Soccer League almost everysummer since 2003. Austin cites hishigh school roommate, who wasfrom Congo, as one of the biggestfactors in his decision to go toAfrica. The Bates graduate loves to

travel (he spent a year in Italy andGreece and hiked the AppalachianTrail) and to see new parts of theworld. This internship is a once-in-

a-lifetime opportunity to make a real difference for such a wonder-ful cause, he says. Lucas believes that Austins positive anddetermined outlook will add an important dimension to GRS.

The reality of being a GRS intern, however, does have a pricetag. Sarah and Austin must both raise $10,000 for airfare, trans-portation, activities and incidentals. This fundraising goal, whichSarah accurately describes as daunting, will help sponsor theinterns year-long stay in Africa. Donating to their cause is anexcellent way for Norwich to help support its young leaders. Evena dollar can help save a life.

Contact information: Sarah: 802-779-3703 or [email protected];

Austin: 603-715-7310 or [email protected]

Norwichs Grassroot Soccer Continued from previous page

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are literally helping save the livesof children in Africa, as well aseducating Americans about theirresponsibility to the world, Nicksays.

It takes a community to cre-ate change, Bill Miles says.

To be part of the GRS com-munity, you do not have to travelto Africa. Norwich hosts GRSonly US officeits global head-quarters, in fact. The organiza-

tion employs many Norwichresidents and welcomes volun-teers to help with fundraising,support and event management.Mary Turco (Mollys mother), forexample, hosts a GRS picnicevery summer. Its an opportu-nity to bring board members, stafffrom the States and from Africa,interns and other communitymembers to celebrate the suc-cesses of GRS, DevelopmentDirector Becky Hooper explains.This picnic, which is managed byHanover resident Laura Rice,serves as a Stateside get-togetherfor both those involved withGRS and those who want to be.Last year, Norwich familieshosted over ten African coaches.In addition to providing servicesto Africa, CEO Tommy says,GRS adds a lot of positive expe-riences to people in the UpperValley. Becky Hooper describesthis as bringing a global taste tothe Upper Valley.

Both Molly and Nick feelgrateful for having grown up in atown attuned to what goes onoutside of Vermont. I thank myparents all the time for decidingto raise me in the Upper Valley

and specifically in Norwich,Molly says. I think I owe a lot ofmy world view to my environ-ment and peers in Norwich, start-ing with my time at the MarionCross school.

Raised in a setting such asNorwich, Molly and Nick gainedthe foundation to appreciateother cultures and to use theirskills to help those in need. Ithink the biggest thing my trip toBotswana did was solidify my, and Nicks, commitment to help bepart of the bigger solutionwhether it be HIV/AIDS,poverty, or other global issues,Molly concludes. This formative

experience has motivated bothformer interns to forge careerpaths in international health.Like Tommy, Nick and Mollyhope to use their medical degreesto contribute their knowledge tointernational health initiatives.To be part of the bigger solu-

tion, Grassroot Soccer employ-ees encourage Norwich residentsto become involved, whether byvolunteering in the office, spon-soring an intern or visiting themin Africa to see how soccer fieldscan save lives.

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