Working in its own community

LENEXA, KS: As the Women’s World Cup takes center stage on the global stage, middle school students from Wyandotte County are finding their own moments of inspiration closer to home. This summer, young players are learning soccer skills and competing for camp glory at the first-ever Challenger Foundation Free Soccer Camp at Wyandotte High School, made possible through the support of Challenger Sports and the newly formed Challenger Foundation.

The Challenger Foundation, a not-for-profit entity of Challenger Sports, is launching its Soccer In The Community pilot program. Challenger Sports is the largest youth soccer coaching provider in the United States, with more than 150,000 players attending camps, clinics, tours, and tournaments annually.

In addition to donating soccer equipment to local schools, Challenger Sports partnered with Wyandotte High School Girls Soccer Team coaches Josh Wikler and Bre Brandenburgh to design and implement a sports education and character development model for boys and girls in the local community.

Students from Rosedale Middle School, Central Middle School, Argentine Middle School, Northwest Middle School, Sumner Academy, and Wyandotte High School were invited to apply for camp scholarships, with 75 students selected to participate.

“We are excited to bring this level of training to our local players right here in our own community,” said Wyandotte Coach Josh Wikler. “When we remove the barriers of cost and transportation, it makes the sport a lot more accessible to our families.”

The Foundation’s soccer camp—coached by Challenger Sports’ international staff of qualified coaches—includes free soccer equipment, skills training, daily World Cup-style tournament play, and lessons centered on respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, and leadership.

“A week-long summer soccer camp currently costs an average of $150 in the Kansas City market,” said Peter Arch, co-founder of Challenger Sports. “We don’t want this to be the obstacle that keeps kids from participating and learning.”

This fall, the Challenger Foundation will continue its relationship with Wyandotte County schools by establishing an after-school soccer training and mentoring program. “Engaging kids in positive and healthy sports activities during traditionally at-risk hours will help build a culture of personal growth and achievement while developing strong character and values,” Arch added. “We envision these kids becoming future leaders within their communities.”

Within the next 12 months, expansion of the Soccer In The Community program will occur both locally and nationally. “With 13 regional offices throughout the United States, we can duplicate this model and begin making a positive impact in other major markets quickly,” said Arch.

Sun Fresh Markets and Unilever are also supporting the Challenger Foundation through a customer beneficiary program. Throughout the year, Sun Fresh Markets will feature select Unilever products, with a portion of proceeds from each purchase donated to the Challenger Foundation during designated periods.

Together, these partnerships and programs represent more than a single camp or season—they reflect a growing commitment to using sport as a vehicle for opportunity, inclusion, and personal growth. By investing in young people at the community level, the Challenger Foundation is laying the groundwork for lasting impact, ensuring that access to soccer—and the life lessons it teaches—is not determined by circumstance, but by possibility.