Soccer has surpassed baseball as the number one participatory sport in the United States. Most WNY suburbs are home to soccer clubs that offer clinics, house leagues, travel and premier level teams.

Yet despite the growing popularity of the sport and strong efforts of organizations like the Delaware Soccer Club, there is a lack of opportunity for many inner city kids to learn the game. A new program is being organized to address this situation.

Buffalo Niagara KISS Soccer is currently organizing a free, month-long series of soccer development clinics for children on Buffalo?s East side. Scheduled for this July the program will teach kids the basics of the game and each participant will receive a free T-shirt. One site under consideration is the Johnny B. Wiley Sports Pavilion, located at Jefferson and Best streets in Buffalo.

In addition to providing financial support, Buffalo Niagara will staff the clinics from their coaching ranks. The club will use its microsoccer concept, with small-sided games of 8-12 players at a time, letting the game be the teacher. Coaches will provide basic instruction during these competitive situations. Young America Soccer Club from Hamburg will also contribute equipment and other assistance.

With exposure to the game at a young age, the program hopes to encourage more kids to continue playing soccer beyond the clinics. This would help raise the overall level of play in the city. A long-term goal of the program would be to sponsor the formation of a soccer organization to serve the inner city, possibly within the Buffalo Niagara organization or with a sister club relationship.

The clinics will also feature a "train the trainer" program where parents, older siblings and other community members will be given instruction to become coaches and referees. Buffalo Niagara will not only mentor these trainers on the field, but they will also provide counsel to those looking to form neighborhood leagues.

One of the organizers is Stephen M. Kiernan, President and CEO of Algonquin Studios. Kiernan is proud to support the program, saying that if every company found a program like this to sponsor, we could improve the quality of life in Buffalo substantially.

While producing a star or two for the U.S. national team would be nice, the program?s benefits will go far beyond that pitch. Kids will learn team skills and have a safe place to meet new friends. They will also be interacting with coaches and role models in a setting that puts people of different ethnicities on the same team.

"A big part of this is about exposing city kids to suburban coaches in the proper setting that promotes interaction and diversity," Kiernan said. "If we can give these kids another opportunity to spend 3-4 hours with a role model, we may plant the seed that bears a beautiful tree in the future."

In addition to financial support, Kiernan is assisting Ken Voght from Buffalo Niagara in identifying sponsor and community relationships to support the program. The two have approached the Rev. Darius G. Pridgen from True Bethel Baptist Church and Nate Hare, Executive Director of the Community Action Organization, for assistance. Organizers will also be speaking with the City of Buffalo to gauge their interest in becoming involved. While organizers are still busy working out the details, they are interested in recruiting volunteers and sponsors to assist. A formal announcement to parents regarding registration for the clinics will be issued later this spring.

For more information, please contact Stephen Kiernan at 842-1439 or e-mail him at Kiernan@algonquinstudios.com