Girls soccer teams collect donations to fight hunger

Annandale Pride team members.

The Annandale United Football Club (AUFC) U12 Pride Girls Soccer Program hosted its biannual Kicks for Cans Charity Scrimmage Festival Aug. 23 in Annandale. Team members and their families and friends donated more than 500 pounds of food to help Food For Others in its fight against hunger.

Six competitive and high-level soccer teams from three clubs participated in the spirited competition, including the Maryland-based St. Mary’s Soccer Club U12 Blast, led by head coach Amy King, the Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association (FASA-VA) U12 Impact, led by head coach Phil Elrod, and the U12 AUFC Pride, led by Billy Blake and Karen Billingslea.

The DC Sliders food truck was on hand to feed participants and spectators and donated 10 percent of proceeds to Food for Others.

FASA Impact dominated the juggling skills competition, taking home two first-place medals. The Pride and St. Mary’s Blast did well in the dribbling competition, securing first-place medals with multiple members reaching the finals. In the very challenging target-shooting competition, all clubs had finalists but only one FASA member walked away with the medal.

“Kicks for Cans” will return in early spring 2015. St. Mary’s and FASA have already agreed to return, and other clubs are expected to participate, too. If you’d like to sign on as a sponsor or make a donation, contact pridesoccerteam@gmail.com.