ACCESS U and Yours in Soccer Foundation partner to expand access and guidance for youth soccer players

When two California-based organizations come together to support talented soccer players seeking higher education, good things happen for student-athletes across the Golden State. In a recently formalized partnership, the ACCESS U Foundation and Yours in Soccer Foundation (“YSF”) are collaborating to offer increased resources and support structures for youth soccer players pursuing college degrees. 

ACCESS U provides scholar athletes from socioeconomically challenged communities with mentors who guide them through the college recruitment process and help them fulfill their academic and athletic potential. YSF empowers exceptional student-athletes from underserved communities by leveraging the potential of sports to realize their college dreams. Together, the organizations can reach individuals from across California and beyond, maximizing opportunities for success in education, work, and life. 

“We’ve worked in tandem with ACCESS U for many years and now the timing is right to formalize our partnership and maximize resources to better serve our amazing student-athletes,” said Jerome L. Simon, founder of YSF. “Together, we can help level the playing field to benefit our athletes, our communities, and college teams across the country.”

The partnership kicks off with an investment from YSF to ACCESS U with the goal of creating a long-term, multi-year partnership. 

"What began as a vision has evolved into a transformative movement–and with Jerome and Yours in Soccer Foundation on board, our momentum is undeniable," said Brad Rothenberg, ACCESS U Co-Founder. “With YSF, we can expand our reach and better support our talented student-athletes who deserve fair access to an affordable future."

Scholar-athletes will receive: after school study programs with academic tutoring, standardized test preparation, FAFSA preparation, high school course selection and planning, “right fit” college identification support, college ID camp registration, college essay guidance, and workshops on time management, mental wellness, social media oversight, and organizational skills. 

Further, ACCESS U and YSF will co-host programming to support athletes and families in navigating the college matriculation, application, and recruiting process. We look forward to a productive future in changing the lives of these deserving scholar-athletes.