GameChangers

GameChangers is a free soccer and leadership program for girls offered by the YMCA of Greater Toronto in association with FC Barcelona Foundation and Scotiabank. The program is dedicated to developing leadership skills and self-confidence for girls ages 7–17, especially newcomers.

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Program Overview

The program includes:

Weekly soccer training
Weekly leadership coaching
Free YMCA membership
Official program jersey provided by FC Barcelona Foundation

GameChangers is built on three core pillars:

Developing leadership and coaching skills: Through weekly sports leadership sessions, we aim to cultivate young role models in athletics.
Expanding access to soccer: The program offers quality instruction, sports leadership sessions, and membership access to YMCA Health and Fitness facilities, providing all participants a chance to build their soccer skills.
Fostering belonging and social inclusion: We promote civic engagement through community service activities, helping girls build a sense of belonging and contribute to their communities.

GameChangers is open to girls ages 7 - 17 and is designed to support newcomer and equity-deserving households. The program is offered at YMCA Health & Fitness centres across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It accommodates all levels of soccer experience.

Program Highlights

GameChangers promotes soccer and leadership through:

Age-based cohorts: Girls will be placed in groups based on age, experience and ability.
Soccer and leadership training sessions: Each cohort will attend two hours of weekly training that includes:
- Soccer skills training: Girls will learn the basics of soccer, improve their current game, and change their playing techniques to improve performance.
- Leadership coaching: The curriculum will help participants develop a youth leadership mindset, entrepreneurial spirit, financial awareness, and civic action.

We curated the program to provide optimum cohort sizes for personalized learning opportunities. The on-ground and classroom coaching sessions will be in-person at the participant's preferred YMCA Health & Fitness centre.