Local Man Uses Soccer To Inspire Children In Africa

A local soccer player is back home after spending two weeks in Africa with a charity group using sports to give African children opportunity and hope.

Kolby LaCrone of Zanesville was invited by the Executive Director of the Cleveland City Stars soccer team to participate in Cycle For Hope. During Cycle For Hope, ten main team members are cycling for six months from Morocco to South Africa. Kolby LaCrone rode for two weeks with the team and says the focus of the trip is to interact with children along the way.

"In towns we stopped and kids on the side of the road playing games, or even in the street in some of the towns, we would get off our bikes and put on our soccer gear and just had fun and played soccer and put on camps and clinics for kids along the way," tells LaCrone.

LaCrone says soccer is often the only outlet for children and it teaches them team work and communication skills. LaCrone says playing soccer and talking with the children was an eye-opening experience.

"It was a blessing for me, and I think it was a real good opportunity. These kids it (soccer) is their life, and it has been my life, so to stop with them and it is all they do night and day, all day.  It is all they have, so to be a part of that and to be a part of their everyday life and experience that with them and bring a little joy to their lives was a blessing," says LaCrone.

Cycle For Hope is run by Ambassadors In Sport. To donate or to learn more about Cycle for Hope go to the link listed above.