NSC Teams with Tony Sanneh’s “Kick It Back” Program to Benefit Haitian Youth Soccer

Tony Sanneh

The NSC announced today they will team up with Minnesotan and former World Cup soccer player Tony Sanneh and his “Kick It Back” program to collect new and gently used soccer shoes and equipment at the gates during their Sept. 18 home finale against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Sanneh made a trip to Haiti back in March after the devastating earthquake in the island nation. He teamed with the LA Galaxy to bring soccer gear and personal care items to the children of Haiti.

In July, a group of Haitian youth made their way to Minnesota to participate in the National Sports Centers Schwan’s USA Cup. The NSC documented the heartfelt story as did the Star Tribune, NBC sports as well as other print and TV media.

A video story about the Haitian team that came to Minnesota and the USA Cup with the Sanneh Foundation will be broadcast Saturday, August 21 before the LA Galaxy v San Jose Earthquakes match that will air on Fox Soccer Channel. It will feature photos and video from USA Cup! That same story will also air on the jumbotron at Home Depot Center before the Galaxy’s match on August 28th.

The video will feature footage from the NSC and was put together by a Minneapolis production company called Gaardhouse. Set your DVRs for Saturday evening.

Sanneh inspects the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti

“I am happy that The Sanneh Foundation is partnering with the Stars in another philanthropic program to help children around the world,” Tony Sanneh said. “It goes to show that the organization is community based and in tune with the need to be apart of the greater good and help the underserved.”

The Sanneh Foundation founded the Kick It Back program in 2009 while Sanneh, a St. Paul native and member of the 2002 U.S. World Cup team, was a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Sanneh and his teammates kicked off the campaign by donating their own equipment in the hopes that others would follow the example through all levels of soccer. Since its inception, the Kick it Back program has provided shoes and soccer equipment for youth in Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Los Angeles, Namibia, South Africa and Haiti.

Since March 2010, the Sanneh Foundation and Los Angeles Galaxy Foundation have sponsored the Haitian Initiative, which provides soccer-based youth programming, aid and equipment to Haiti as it rebuilds from the January 12 earthquake near Port-au-Prince. In July, the Haitian Initiative sponsored an Under-15 L’Athletique d’Haiti boys soccer team while it competed in the V Elite tournament at the Schwan’s USA CUP, presented by PUMA at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

“Having the team from Haiti during USA CUP was one of the highlights of the tournament, and it did so much to illuminate all the work Tony and his foundation are doing to help the less fortunate, both on and off the field,” said Stars General Manager Kris Bjerkness.