It Starts with the Shoes, Inc

For the first time in since their historic 46-0 defeats in the 2015 Pacific Games, the Federated States of Micronesia National Football Team plans to compete in a series of games located in Guam this summer of 2024.

The Federated States of Micronesia, located southeast of the Phillipines and south of Guam, will put forth a team to compete in futsal and perhaps even football. We are appealing to all interested individuals who are willing to assist the FSM national team attend the games.

In order to spread awareness and help fundraise for the FSM's participation, Ben Whatmore, William Allen, and James Bennellick are planning on running the Auckland Marathon for FSM in November, clad in the national team's kit.

It Starts with the Shoes, Inc has an ongoing partnership with the Lockland High School Panthers Soccer Team. Initially, ISWTS donated shoes to the Lockland Team when they were just a school club team while Coach Jim was on his Coast2Coast Charity Ride in the Fall of 2022. In 2023, Coach Jim donated more shoes and volunteered his time to help the Lockland Soccer Program through their very successful inaugural soccer season.

Now in 2024, Coach Jim is seeking donor directed funds to support the Lockland High School Soccer Program Enrichment Fund. These funds will be used toward supporting individual Lockland student-athletes in their pursuit of playing the Beautiful Game. These funds will be used for expenses typically supplied by families, such as summer soccer camp enrollments, soccer cleats, shin guards, socks and training kits.

The typical cost to send a student-athlete to summer training camp and to outfit them for their fall soccer season is approximately $500.00 per student-athlete. This cost includes camp fees, shoes, training kits and shin guards. It does not include transportation or nutrition.

Since 2014, Coach Jim has volunteered his time with the Withrow High Soccer Program. Since then, he has learned of the reoccurring cost to provide basic soccer equipment for student-athletes. Every year the program grows and grows and as such more shoes, and shin guards and socks and training kits are needed.

The typical cost to fund a student-athlete's pursuit of excellence in the Beautiful Game is approximately $500.00 for summer camp, shoes, socks, shin guards and training kits.

In 2023 ISWTS and Withrow High School (and Cincinnati Public Schools) partnered to host an Inner-City Soccer Tournament for the area's soccer programs which contain "at-risk" student-athletes on their rosters. The camaraderie and excitement of the inaugural tournament was an experience that must be repeated. As such, ISWTS and Withrow are seeking funding to support their players and this year's 2024 Inner-City Soccer Tournament. Please consider supporting this endeavor.