Aug. 23, 2006
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s soccer team raised $7,000 for the Grassroot Soccer organization during its exhibition game versus Saint Francis (Pa.) on Monday night. Admission to the match was $1 with all proceeds benefiting the foundation, which is an international AIDS awareness and education organization that reaches youth in Africa through soccer clinics. A Notre Dame soccer alumnus, who wishes to remain anonymous, more than matched the amount from the crowd and Irish head coach Bobby Clark and the Notre Dame men’s soccer camp matched the attendance output dollar-for-dollar.
This marked the third straight year that the Fighting Irish have played an exhibition match to benefit Grassroot Soccer. The organization’s founder is Tommy Clark, the oldest son of the Notre Dame head coach. The younger Clark began work on Grassroot Soccer while he was in medical school at Dartmouth College.
“Tommy was obviously thrilled about Monday night,” says the elder Clark. “This is now the third year in-a-row that we’ve done this and it’s becoming a thing that we’ll do on a yearly basis. It’s nice to be able to help the HIV crisis in Africa.”
To top the night off, the Irish defeated the Red Flash 2-0.
“The amount of money that Grassroot Soccer will be receiving is just fabulous,” says Bobby Clark. “It’s a very worthwhile cause and we raised the money in a pleasant way. The game was very entertaining and all of the spectators made it a great atmosphere. I just hope they turnout again this weekend.”
Notre Dame opens the regular season this weekend with the annual Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament at Alumni Field. The 15th-ranked Fighting Irish will take on UAB this Friday at 7:30 p.m. and will then battle No. 8 Creighton on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
For more information on Grassroot Soccer, please log onto grassrootsoccer.org.
–ND–