GACNY Soccer Scholarship Program | Donations are Tax-deductible
Donate here and become a soccer club member. Your membership is tax-deductible!
If the United States truly wants to compete and win on the world stage, it needs to attract and develop a larger pool of young players, not only those who can afford the cost of play-to-play. Here’s how you can help.
When you purchase a membership or make a donation to the soccer program, not only does your son or daughter gain access to a full year of elite-level soccer instruction, but you are also providing a hand-up to aspiring players with the potential for elite-level performance.
The Executive Director’s Personal Story
For those who grew up without financial resources, in a soccer system driven more by money than talent, we know America’s pay-to-play barrier firsthand.
Despite the odds, my youth teams—often comprising 50% African American players—won every amateur championship in the United States. My relentless work ethic earned me a full scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill, where we won an ACC tournament championship and reached the NCAA Final Four. My sister followed the same path, winning an NCAA Championship with UNC’s legendary women’s program under Anson Dorrance.
Through my experience operating the Global Artists Coalition, a youth nonprofit in New York City for over 20 years, I have learned that a well-designed, meaningful program can help at-risk youth overcome many challenges. Today, GACNY’s All-City Soccer program follows this same principle, and we have identified four critical gaps that limit access and exposure to the beautiful game:
1.No- to low-cost elite-level soccer instruction for underserved populations
2.How the lack of cultural diversity impacts their capacity to dream big
3.A safe space to learn and develop
4.Life skills training through “teachable moments” applied on- and off the field.
The next generation of soccer stars is already here—in our schools, parks, and neighborhoods. Basketball has proven this model works; there’s no shortage of NBA athletes from low-income families. We’re simply implementing the same proven approach used in youth basketball in the United States and in countries where soccer flourishes. Countries where soccer is accessible and affordable, and where all youth, regardless of means, have the opportunity to learn and progress. The GACNY All-City Soccer program curriculum provides this.
You’re supporting elite coaches who see potential where others see problems, fields where friendships become families, and transformative moments when young people realize that anything—truly anything—is possible. The question isn’t whether they have what it takes—the question is whether we dare to give them the chance to prove it.
Terry Nelson
Executive Director, Global Artists Coalition, Founder of GAC All-City Soccer, New York City
Where your money goes:
2025 All-City Soccer Program: Participants Served: 400, Units of Service: 2,400
2026 All-City Soccer Projected: Participants Served: 1,440, Units of Service: 11,520
Program Period: April through December 2026
