Los Alamos Community Foundation Executive Director Steve Laurent, second from right, presents a ceremonial check recently to Los Alamos Youth Soccer League Girls Competitive Coordinator Susie Schillaci, third from left,  and other LAYSL adult and youth representatives. Courtesy/LACF

LACF News:

Serving hundreds of kids each year means the Los Alamos Youth Soccer League (LAYSL) has a lot of equipment to maintain and replace.

Fortunately, LAYSL recently received a $500 competitive grant from the Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF) to support the League’s equipment needs. The grant is funded by the Los Alamos Community Youth Sports Endowment established by Paul and Jill Cook with the purpose of supporting competitive youth sports in Los Alamos. 

Girls Competitive Coordinator Susie Schillaci said that their goal is to provide all coaches and teams with equipment that is in good condition and is appropriate for each level.

“Our intention is to use the LACF grant for purchasing balls,” Schillaci said. “We spend about $2,000 annually on soccer balls to support our recreational and competitive programs for ages 5-18. We have over 500 participants annually between Fall and Spring season.”

Schillaci added that the “generous grant will go a long way in helping LAYSL reach our goal of supporting kids, coaches, and the soccer programs within the League.”

The primary mission of LAYSL and its associated Los Alamos Football Club is to provide a high-quality, safe, and fun opportunity for the youth of Los Alamos and the surrounding area to learn the “beautiful game” at a modest cost. 

LAYSL is interested in creating lifelong soccer players and fans of the game. They want kids of all ages and abilities on the pitch playing. The League strives to teach players the individual technical skills needed to play the game and a fundamental tactical understanding of how to play. Players learn life skills including responsibility, commitment, discipline, sportsmanship and teamwork.

About the Los Alamos Community Foundation

Established in 2015, the mission of the Los Alamos Community Foundation is to build enduring philanthropy to empower our community’s nonprofit organizations. LACF stewards fifteen permanent endowment funds and supports local nonprofit through training, initiatives and grantmaking. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.