My Yute Soccer (MYS) is on a mission to provide access to a diverse socio-economic and cultural environment through the sport of soccer. MYS envisions communities embracing differences through soccer.

MYS's mission and vision is enacted through its FREE soccer camps for children ages 7 to 12 and teen mentor program. Founded in 2008 as an Oakland-based grassroots organization, MYS provided its first camp to 30 children for one week during the summer. In ten years, it has grown to provide 10,083 camp hours serving 465 children from 51 different zip codes. A total of 16 free camps delivered includes camps in Jamaica and teen-initiated camps in Malawi and Kenya. More highlights at http://www.myyutesoccer.org/mys-10-year-review/. 

Rovel S. Sparkes, President & Founder, has fond memories of soccer in his neighborhood–not only an opportunity to share his skills and talents as a player but also as a vehicle for building community.

As reported by Jill Repogle in her 2010 article, One Man Works to Create Unity on the Field, "I had such a beautiful childhood’, said Sparkes, who’s now 46 years old, tall and athletic. I wanted to create the same thing here." 

On a long flight back to California after watching the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he decided to do it. He went to his fellow players at the Africari Soccer Club, and asked them to help him set up a free soccer camp for East Bay youth. He quickly got a group behind the idea and they began raising money, through t-shirt and hat sales. The first soccer camp took place in summer 2008 and MYS became a 501(c)3 charitable organization in November 2008.

MYS is wholly operated by volunteers and and generates the majority of its funding through the yearly fundraiser held on Memorial Day Monday, The Jamaican Jerk Cook Off Experience.

My Yute Soccer

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