Giving back to the world through the game they love, past and present members of several NCAA women's soccer programs nationwide have begun making major commitments to Soccer Without Borders (www.soccerwithoutborders.org). Among them are Mary McVeigh, assistant coach at Dartmouth College, as well as former Colorado College captain Katlin Okamoto, who joined the San Francisco-based non-profit organization as director of girls programs shortly after graduating from CC in 2007. Both are involved with SWB's program in Granada, Nicaragua.

McVeigh and Okamoto recently took time out to answer some questions about their involvement with SWB, and here are some excerpts from the interviews:

McVEIGH
Q. Was there something in particular that inspired you to become so involved with SWB in Nicaragua? 
A. “In 2006 I travelled down to Argentina for the South American World Cup Qualifiers. It struck me how passionate those girls (many of them were just 16 or 17!) were about the game, and yet even the national teams were poorly funded, poorly coached, and poorly equipped. That trip got me thinking about all of the opportunities I've enjoyed here in the U.S. as a female athlete in a post Title-IX era. When I saw that the vision for the Granada project was to expand opportunities for girls, I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

Q. Has it been as satisfying or rewarding as you initially might have hoped?
A. “Being involved with SWB has far exceeded my expectations. To create sustainable opportunities where there were none before is completely different than anything I've done in the past, and nothing could inspire more passion than giving back to your sport in that way.”

Q. “Where does the Nicaragua project stand now, in terms of its overall development, and what do you anticipate being in store for the foreseeable future?
A. “Right now the project is still in the foundation stage. We are trying to build a foundation of trust and commitment from our Nicaraguan coaches, the town, and the girls they coach. We have weekly practices going on that any young girl can attend, coached by a small staff of older Nicaraguan players. We also have developed a relationship with Granada's only premier women's team, and have tried to give them the resources to succeed in their first season in the national league.
“In the future we hope to sponsor the other teams in the national league as well. Something we are extremely excited about is our 2nd annual camp and coaches clinic which will take place in March 2009. Our hope is to not only give the girls and coaches in Granada a great experience and great role models, but to exposure U.S. college coaches and players to another way of life and the incredible ability of soccer to bridge cultural gaps.”
Q. Will you stay there, or do you expect to eventually move on to another location?
A. “Soccer Without Borders has projects in other locations as well, and we definitely hope to expand in the future. For me personally, I plan to focus entirely on Nicaragua for the
foreseeable future. Within Nicaragua, however, there is a lot of potential expansion to rural towns and villages, and cities other than Granada.”

OKAMOTO
Q. When did you initially become aware of Soccer Without Borders, and how long did it take for you to realize it was a program to which you'd commit yourself so strongly?
A. “I actually learned about Soccer Without Borders through a friend I met on CC's international service trip to India. Our main contact living in India was previously from the Berkeley area and her friend did a short video on soccer in Zambia. The video's producer was a friend of SWB and had a link on their site and things fell in place from there.”
Q. How, then, did you actually get started with SWB?
A. “Before I learned of SWB, I had been looking for a way to continue my involvement in soccer on a different level following graduation. During the spring of my senior year, I decided I wanted to take some time to see the implications of the sport in the developing world and in particular, the benefits it could provide to young girls.  Although SWB focused on all youth, there had been a lack of specific involvement from girls at project sites. I joined SWB to start the girls programs and focus on promoting physical activity and gender equality for disadvantaged youth.”
Q. Is it something you think you'll continue doing for a long time?
A. “I intend to continue to work with SWB in some capacity for as long as I am able to contribute to their cause.”
Q. Can you summarize the mission of the organization in three or four sentences?
A. "Soccer Without Borders' mission is to use soccer as a vehicle for positive change in the lives of marginalized youth. We are a non-profit organization, based in San Francisco, Calif., working locally and internationally to help young people develop their bodies, voices and minds.”
Q. If someone feels inclined to get involved, what kind of advice or suggestions can you offer?
A. “I would encourage anyone interested to check out our website at www.soccerwithoutborders.org and look around at the different programs and projects we have going on. If you find something of interest or have any questions, please feel free to email me at katlin@soccerwithoutborders.org or info@soccerwithoutborders.org. We are always excited to get emails from people who are ready to contribute to the organization. We will work with you to find the best way for you to get involved. While many people want to volunteer at project sites, those who run fundraisers at home or make a donation are just as important to the sustainability of the organization.”
Q. Can anyone other than collegiate players and coaches participate in this program?
A. “Anyone with a passion for providing youth with opportunities to play and develop healthy lifestyles can get involved with SWB.”
Q. What kind of costs are involved for volunteers? How about time commitment?
A. “Depending on how a volunteer decides to become involved, the costs and time commitment will vary. Those who choose to go overseas for a period of time usually do some fund raising at home to help offset the expenses of travel. Other volunteers participate by holding awareness events and fundraisers in their local communities. These take less time than an overseas trip and require almost no cost.”
Q. Does the organization have both short-term and long-term goals? Can you differentiate between the two and elaborate a little on both?
A. “In the short-term, we are looking to continue to develop dependable, locally run programming for youth. This entails placing international volunteers to assist and improve programs as well as ongoing support from SWB. We also want to build on the success of the girls program this year and share best practices with other organizations. Improving our organizational infrastructure and working towards financial stability are also goals for the near future…The long-term outlook for SWB includes ongoing, dependable programming in old and newly identified project sites. We hope to eventually reach a point where the programs have the ability to self-sustain and are run entirely by the local community."
Q. How exactly are target areas for SWB programs identified?
A. “Our project sites have been identified both by members of our staff recognizing a need in a place they have visited as well as by interested individuals contacting us for help in their community. We then communicate with local volunteers to make sure they are ready for a program and design a project that fits the needs of their community. Our programs are ongoing and we continue to build upon existing projects by providing support and sending volunteers to each site on a regular basis.”
Q. With regard to Nicaragua specifically, how much has been accomplished to date and where do you go from there?
A. “We began working in Granada in 2006 and developed a girls-specific soccer program there in spring 2008. Granada representative, Humberto 'Chepe' Largaespada, supervises the ongoing SWB programming along with professional player and coach, Carlos Zambrana, throughout the year. The girls program was launched in 2008 out of a need to provide more soccer opportunities for girls and promote self-esteem and confidence.”
Q. How can the average citizen help?
A. “Simply making a donation and telling your friends about SWB could be a huge help.  If you want to go beyond this, please check out our website at www.soccerwithoutborders.org and see what aspects of the organization interest you.  You can then contact us at info@soccerwithoutborders.org with any questions you may have.”
Q. In your experience so far, what have the most significant rewards been?
A. “The excitement on the faces of the kids during camps and practices makes you want to be there everyday. The kids are so happy just to be on a field with a chance to play, and that is something you do not see as often here in the states…It also has been important for me to see how effective soccer is as a vehicle for positive change around the world. The universal language of the game breaks down barriers between culture, language and conflict so that you really can get to know communities and their needs.  Soccer becomes less of a sport and more of a uniting force for the youth and communities.”