What Soccer Does Part 8

We're excited to introduce you to Lisa Perry , our passionate #SoccerforSuccess Director, in Part 8 of our "What Soccer Does" series! Since joining us in April 2022, Lisa has been a powerhouse in building relationships and implementing the Soccer for Success for Schools curriculum nationwide. With a rich background in physical education and a career dedicated to promoting health and fitness, Lisa is committed to creating a culture of physical activity for our nation’s youth.?

Q&A:

Q: What is your favorite part about working at the U.S. Soccer Foundation?

?A: Working with physical educators lets me contribute to their energy and enthusiasm about health and fitness. They get to witness students develop new soccer skills and overcome challenges. Receiving feedback about student success makes my day!

Q: How does soccer inspire you (either personally or professionally)?

?A: Soccer inspires me through teamwork and cooperation. Soccer is a team sport that requires players to work together towards a common goal. This can be a powerful lesson in collaboration and achieving things together.

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Q: What has been the most impactful project you’ve worked on??

?A: The most impactful part of my work is providing training on our soccer curriculum to physical educators. Very often, physical educators are forced to participate in professional development that doesn’t pertain to their content area. However, we have the opportunity to provide high-quality training, best practices and resources to teachers who need them. In turn, those teachers impact their students through soccer instruction.

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Q: What’s the biggest impact your program has on children in underserved communities?

?A: Teachers have reported that our trainings have equipped them to deliver soccer instruction with fidelity. The schools we work with often don’t have the resources to buy soccer equipment in order to teach the skills. Students have gained confidence as their soccer skills improve and some have taken the next step to get involved in soccer outside of the school day.

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Q: What brings you the most joy outside of work?

?A: I’m an outdoor recreation enthusiast. I get the most joy out of working with my wild mustangs. I have learned that gentling wild horses integrates my experience as a teacher, student and leader. Horses don’t care who you are, what you’ve done, how much money you have or what you believe. Their concern is how you interact with them. The lack of pretense allows them to give unconditional acceptance and in return begins to reveal his/her true self. Each mustang has a distinct personality, and learning how to work together carries over into my personal and professional relationships. ?

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We hope you enjoyed part 8 of our series! If you'd like to learn more about or?Soccer for Success?School Curriculum, click here: https://bit.ly/3vX3nkd