Children in Kenya are replacing soccer balls made out of garbage bags for the real deal thanks to local generosity.

Southern Indiana's Net-Surfers are among clubs helping the Hearts4Kenya charity, and the all-girls’ team recently donated 20 balls, which made it to Africa with volunteer Sara Dickman, former varsity girls’ soccer coach with New Albany High School.

Also helping the cause are Kratz Sporting Goods, which has donated 25 balls, and The Quest Class of Trinity Methodist Church, giving 10 balls and 10 hand pumps. Uniform sets were also donated by various local schools.

Dickman said children of all ages play the game in Kenya, usually with a group of discarded garbage bags that are wound with any available string.

“These balls have an amazing bounce but are not close to the touch of a regulation-size leather ball,” she said.

She added that the regulation balls are a “gift from heaven” to the schools and orphanages in the rural communities of Oyugis and Amani, while the uniforms help the children play in tournaments.

“There will be young men and women who will have qualified to participate in a tournament, but thought they could not as they didn't have the required shirts,” said Dickman. “It is amazing that we put our players in shin guards, long socks, arch supports and braces, and a good pair of cleats. In this area of Kenya, in order to participate in tournaments the teams must have one game ball per team, and matching uniform shirts. Every other part of the uniform may be mis-matched or missing. Most of the players we have watched play barefooted.

“Every year at least one boys’ team and one girls’ team is able to advance due to the generosity of this community.”

Net-Surfers’ secretary Jamie Fischer said that this is the second time the club has donated balls to the cause.

“As a club, we feel this a worthwhile endeavor to help kids in a less fortunate situation enjoy the game of soccer,” said Fischer. “We want to thank Southern Indiana United U16 coach Bruce Rigsby for helping us obtain the soccer balls at a very reasonable rate and providing them to us for the donation.”

Hearts4Kenya, the Louisville-based charity, helps combat poverty, hunger and disease in small, agrarian communities in the Nyanza province of Kenya. Now in its 11th year, it has successfully completed a wide range of projects, including the construction or repair of several churches, clinics, orphanages, playgrounds and a tree nursery. In recent years, hybrid seed, fertilizer and the instruction of irrigation and planting techniques have been introduced, enabling the people to become self-sufficient.

For more information on the charity, log on to www.heartsforkenya.org



Soccer auction for charity

While we are on the subject of charity work, autographed team jerseys from Tim Howard and Freddy Adu will be among the items you can bid on during a fundraising soccer memorabilia auction being held at Molly Malone’s on Baxter Avenue on Saturday at 8 p.m.

There will also be a World Cup trivia contest and juggling contest, and we are told there will also be soccer celebrities from around the world.

The evening will benefit the Derby City Kicks Back charity, which supports other charities such as Soccer For Kids’ Sake, which provides inner city soccer programs, and the Adam Bender Foundation, which brings sports awareness and opportunity to physically-challenged children.

Tickets are $50 at the door, or $25 in advance. And if you mention the password 'Man City' the night of the event, you can get in for half price. For more information, call Molly Malone's at (502) 473-1222.



Locals doing well at regionals

The best youth teams in the Midwest are currently battling it out in the 2009 US Youth Soccer Region II Championships in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a couple of locals are performing quite well.

Teams from 13 states earned their place as state champions and are playing at Yankton Trails Park to determine who will represent the Midwest at the national championships in Massachusetts from July 21-26.

One of them is Javanon ‘92, winners of last year’s regional championship at the U16 level. The team, which includes defender Trevor Bruner from Jeffersonville, is so far defending its crown well as a U17 outfit, with two entertaining victories against Pacesetter Premier from Ohio North (5-3), and Great Plains Force (2-1) on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Another with local representation is Javanon U18s, which includes New Albany’s Nathan Driggers on its roster. The team has gotten off to a flyer with a 4-0 win against Inter FC from Illinois, followed by a 1-0 defeat of Kansas champion KC Wizards.

Another New Albany player, Kaitlin Robinett, was in action with her Mockingbird U17 team after winning a fourth straight State Cup title. The girls faced a tough opponent in Internationals SC of Ohio North, which is currently considered the fourth best team in the US by National Soccer Rankings. They lost the game 3-1, but bounced back in game two to beat Dakota Gold Destiny, 4-2.

The semifinals featuring the four group winners are being held today, with the championship games taking place tomorrow. For all the latest news and scores from the championships, check out: championships.usyouthsoccer.org/regionII.