CHESTER UPLAND YOUTH SOCCER

We hope to help close the achievement gap that often limits the success of children challenged by socio-economic factors.

Chester Upland Youth Soccer aims to address negative health issues by providing elementary school students with regular physical activity along with mentoring and nutrition education.

Youth Development United provides children from under-served communities with extracurricular opportunities, inspiring them to excel.

CUYS strives to strengthen our community by mentoring youth, engaging families and promoting healthy living. We provide after-school and weekend soccer programming for nearly 500 at-risk children in Chester, Upland and Eddystone every year using the US Soccer Foundation's Soccer for Success curriculum. That curriculum helps children embrace an active and healthy lifestyle while nurturing their personal growth through trained coach-mentors who, in our program, are largely educators and college students. In training sessions, our team not only leads exercise and other activities that emphasize the importance of leadership, teamwork, respect, dedication and hard work in a cooperative and supportive environment, but also teaches the basics of nutrition, the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices, and the benefits of maintaining healthy eating habits.

Youth Development United provides the children and families it serves with memorable after-school and weekend opportunities that increase their access to mentorship, wellness, the arts and personal development.
Our activities include athletics, nutrition education, career discovery and nature exploration opportunities. Participants also regularly receive useful donations of clothing, toiletries, groceries and books often supplied by partner organizations.

Additionally, we have helped to found Chester's Mentoring Initiative, a network of learning and collaboration that includes more than 100 local organizations dedicated to helping every child connect with a mentor.

Our program was started in 2012, and we have built many connections within the community since that time.

Several of our current site directors have been with the program for multiple years and have created pathways for their students to participate in Soccer for Success year after year. Along with our site directors, many of our coach-mentors are returning members of our team, and are a big draw for returning students.

In terms of management and growth, our board and executive director, Jeannine Anckaitis, bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in the non-profit sector, marketing, health care, law, the sports industry and more.

We take great pride in the recognition we have earned from community institutions. In both 2023 and 2024, we were presented with a Community Partner Award from Chester Upland School District, for whom we qualify as a vendor partner because of our contributions to children's education. In October 2024, we were honored to receive a Community Partnership Award from Making a Change Group. In February 2025, we accept Eastern PA Youth Soccer Association's "Service to Community" Award.

We couldn't do this work without many partners and supporters. We are the grateful recipients of grants from US Soccer, Foundation for Delaware County, The Community’s Foundation, CCRES, Boeing, Dick’s Sporting Goods and the Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund. We are also the appreciative recipients of donations from a number of generous individuals.

Since our inception in 2012 we have achieved a tremendous amount in terms of community engagement, and growth of our program. Beginning in the spring of 2013, we partnered with Health Partners Plans and Fare and Square Market to provide 250 bags of healthy groceries valued at over $2,000 to “program MVPs” and their families. During the summer of 2014, we partnered with a local Eagle Scout Project to erect a kickboard at an elementary school to be used by members of the community and Soccer for Success participants. In fall 2015, we partnered with the Philadelphia Union Foundation, Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer Foundation to build a mini-pitch at Stetser Elementary. In the Fall of 2017 we launched the first middle school soccer team in the history of the Chester Upland School District. The team consisted of players who learned the game in our Soccer for Success program. In April 2020, Chester Upland Youth Soccer was recognized with The Community’s Foundation “Community Organization of the Year” Award. In November 2020 we helped launch Chester’s Mentoring Initiative, which brings together in a monthly meeting over 100 representatives from schools, the faith community, City Hall, our local Congresswoman’s office, the Chester police department and other community-based organizations with like-minded goals, seeking cross-collaboration opportunities and helping each other to support and empower the community. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have found creative and safe ways to engage children and their families. Returning to live play in the fall of 2021, we provided after-school and special event programming to 250 children weekly. Also in 2021, CUYS leadership launched Youth Development United as a DBA and sister organization whose name reflects the broad offerings of the refreshed organization. YDU provides the children and families it serves with memorable and positive after-school and weekend opportunities that increase their access to wellness, the arts, and personal development. Activities include nature outings, family bowling nights, lessons in martial arts and dance, and Career Discovery days such as one held at Widener University's science center, where participants perform labs in biology, chemistry, physics and environmental science. To ensure continuity for its efforts to give inspiring extracurricular opportunities to under-served children, Youth Development United opened an endowment fund through The Foundation for Delaware County in May 2022. In both 2023 and 2024, we were presented with a Community Partner Award from Chester Upland School District, for whom we qualify as a vendor partner because of our contributions to children's education. In October 2024, we were honored to receive a Community Partnership Award from Making a Change Group. In February 2025, we accept Eastern PA Youth Soccer Association's "Service to Community" Award.