(July 6, 2009) As part of West Chester United Soccer Club’s commitment to community service, our West Chester Summer Classic tournament encourages you to bring your gently used soccer equipment – balls, cleats, jerseys, shin guards, shorts and any other equipment your kids may have outgrown – to the tournament for collection and re-distribution through the US Soccer Foundation’s Passback Program.  Over the past few years, WCUSC has collected over 2,300 pieces of equipment.

This year, the club's passback equipment designated recipients for your equipment will be local West Chester children through WCUSC’s Community Development program, the Chester Police Athletic League (PAL) in conjunction with the William Trippley Foundation, The Heritage Academy schools in Ghana founded by a local teacher, children in the Caribbean and South American through our local girls travel league (PAGS); so your equipment will reach local children and those around the world!

Collection bins will be prominently located at all game venues during the tournament so don’t forget to bring your extra equipment with you and have it go to a worthy cause.  In 2008, The West Chester Summer Classic collected 839 total pieces were contributed including: 241 pair of shoes (indoor and outdoor), 137 shorts, 89 jerseys, 143 balls, 68 pair of shinguards, 19 sweatshirts, 77 pair of socks, 4 jackets, 9 bags, 3 pair of pants, 3 water coolers, 9 pair of goalie gloves, 7 goalie jerseys, 7 pair of sandals, & 5 coaches shirts.  The club's efforts were rewarded in 2008 when WCUSC received the USSF Passback Gold Star designation, an honor only given to six other Passback program participants throughout the country.

For more information on the US Soccer Foundation Passback Program, visit www.passback.org. For more information on each of our designated recipients please see the following websites: WCUSC Community Development Program, Heritage Academy in Ghana, William Trippley Youth Development Foundation, & PAGS Equipment Collection.

For more information on our club Passback Program or if you would like to make an equipment donation please contact Peg Carmody.

Thank you for your help!