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Play together. Learn together. Dream Together.

Around the Worlds provides free-of-cost soccer programs, whereby children and adolescents have the chance to exercise their right to leisure and play, and their right to partake in the global culture of soccer. The soccer programs are structured to provide lessons on teamwork, problem solving, goal setting, and local leadership. Finally, Around the Worlds concludes each program with a donation of soccer balls and other equipment, which empowers the participants to be kids and play long after Around the Worlds has left.

15/09/2026

Earlier this month, we headed back to the metro for our third Philippines-based (summer) session in collaboration with the wonderful team over at House of Refuge Foundation Inc.

For 40 years, HORFI has been a light in the Quezon City community, serving as a safe haven for more than 1000 children from cases of neglect, abandonment, and maltreatment. Recently, their work has seen tremendous growth, as they’ve expanded their services beyond residential care, in order to affect the greater community as a whole.

And as a result, our Thursday afternoon session featured a grab bag of participants eager to learn football the Around the Worlds way. Some had deep knowledge of the game, while others were experiencing it for the very first time. Some ran through drills as fast as they could, while others moved carefully if not cautiously from cone to cone - opting for precision over speed.

But at the end of the day, one thing was clear when it came to our HORFI beneficiaries… once they’d pulled their brand new Nike jerseys over their tiny frames, they were ready to play. Not just to play, but to compete, as well.

18/08/2026

Our second Philippines-based program of the summer featured a departure from Luzon to the lush green landscape of Puerto Princesa. The transit city, located centrally on the island of Palawan, sees a large volume of tourists en route to popular destinations like El Nido & Coron, but still houses some of the friendliest individuals the island nation has to offer.

Eager to build off of our expansion last year to other cities away from Metro Manila (like Cebu), we partnered up with the incredible Taw-Kabui for a Child to host a Saturday morning session alongside a dozen of their sportiest beneficiaries.

Taw-Kabui is a phrase in Palawan’s local dialect that roughly translates to ‘share a life.’ And ‘sharing a life’ is exactly what the organization, their volunteers, and their staff members are doing… each and every day. Their work benefits over 100 beneficiaries, some located in extremely remote areas outside of Puerto Princesa. Aided by an impressive delegation of undergraduate social work students, the bulk of their work centers on children with developmental disabilities, specifically Down syndrome and autism.

The weekend session presented an exciting change to our usual programming, but we were ready. More importantly, our dozen young athletes were, too. For 90 minutes, they gave it their all, as parents cheered loudly (and proudly) from the bleachers. And when all was said and done, they were rewarded appropriately for their efforts, with a new tee shirt, football, and bracelet for every single participant.

The session was a hit, and our little footballers could be seen miles away not just sporting their new gear, but sporting bright smiles as well.

“Coach Stephen, you are very good po,” said one of our youngest players, Princess, while exiting the court stage left with her mother.

“Thank you, Princess!” answered Stephen, with a smile, “mana sa’yo (just like you)!”

11/08/2026

Last month, on the heels of an exciting (domestic) World Cup cycle, we kicked off summer programming with an afternoon session alongside some of the Philippines’ finest young footballers.

Trading the metro for the province and grassy fields for cement courts, training commenced shortly after the final dismissal bell rang at Binmaley School of Fisheries. Then, as if they’d been waiting all day to play, nearly two dozen student athletes rushed to the futsal pitch, ever-so-eager to experience the game the Around the Worlds way.

The program brought together faces both old and new, following a similar session of its kind barely one year ago in nearby Lingayen. Supported by familiar collaborator, Coach EJ Soriano, participants were led through a variety of dynamic drills before applying them into practical, in-game situations.

Then, when all was said and done, training stopped, but the excitement did not. Stephen rolled out a set of giveaway prizes for the newest recruits of the bunch - a fresh crop of seventh graders hand-picked by Coach EJ himself.

“These can be our new training tops, Coach!” one of the youngins exclaimed with glee, immediately pulling the Challenger Sports tee over his tiny frame.

17/06/2026

Our final Mexico-based session featured an energetic group of older beneficiaries from Ednica IAP.

From start to finish, the program had it all. Grit, competition, sweat, tears, and laughs. Oh, the laughs... they sure were plentiful. 'Red Light, Green Light' fielded a chorus of giggles, with gamemasters looking on eagle-eyed, eager to call out anyone who might have stepped out of turn. Slips on our slick surface were met with snickers, while victories resulted in thunderous cheers.

And when it came time to wrap things up, the session's humor persisted ever onwards. Showing participants a trick, later intended to be repeated to the best of their ability, Stephen shuffled forward - the ball nestled ever-so-gently on the nape of his neck. A showman doing what a showman does best, he caught the eyes of a young man seated in front of him and extended his arm for a high five.

"Amigo, dame un cinco!" Stephen exclaimed, his arm waiting patiently.

"Ah, Profe... no tengo (dinero)," the boy said, a look of embarrassment filling his face.

"¡Tu mano, amigo!" Stephen responded, with onlookers bursting out in laughter.

11/06/2026

Our third Mexico-based programming day featured a double shot of classes in collaboration with the incredible Ednica IAP team.

Just like the day prior, the session was a reprise of a similar program back in September of 2022, with the minor adjustment of a venue change. And even though Mexico City's unpredictable precipitation tried hard to derail best laid plans, the kids (to their credit) remained resolute - determined to get touches on the ball no matter how much rain coated our playing surface.

Unsurprisingly, with each passing drill, that determination only grew. The giggles of our listening exercise. The concentration of 'Red Light, Green Light'. The humor of our dribbling drill. The fierce competition of our 1v1 activity. A quick break under the dry shade of a tree, and just like that, they were right back at it.

Don't fret though, their effort was rewarded handsomely - with brand new, Nike gear thanks to our friends over at Oakwood Soccer.

“Es nueva!” exclaimed one particular youngster gleefully, a smile wrapping itself around his face as he pulled the new top over his arms and head.

09/06/2026

Our second Mexico-based program (in just as many days) featured a return to Tacubaya and familiar beneficiaries, Afeeci A.C., for an afternoon session with about a dozen youngsters.

Following our first run-in with the Afeeci team back in September of 2022, it was a joyous occasion to reprise the collaboration with just a few minor changes made this time around. The faces were new, though the curriculum was not. Staffmembers had changed, but still carried the same positive disposition as years past. Take-home prizes had been swapped, from soccer balls to equally-appreciated Challenger Sports t-shirts. And most notably, the timing in which those giveaways were distributed had been modified.

"Can we give out the tees before the program begins?" asked Stephen, speaking directly to our community partner, Jessy.

"Sure thing!" she responded, in agreement with Stephen that the matching gear would give the session a real camp-type of feeling.

And that it did. Our 'campers' moved effortlessly from drill to drill, cheering noisily with each elimination, goal, triumph, and defeat. One-on-ones, 'Red Light, Green Light', listening exercises, dribbling drills, and more. No matter the activity, the joy was there and the joy was real.

04/06/2026

Tuesday night, founder Stephen Schirra came back from a week-long run of Mexico-based programming to give out our latest Gabriel Yeris Scholarship.

The night, which has quickly become one of our favorite evenings of the year, featured an impressive cohort of graduating seniors looking to take their academic & athletic talents to the next level at various institutions like UConn, UNC Charlotte, The Ohio State University, and more. A true testament to their accomplished careers at Ellington High School, 79 students were awarded over $165,000 in scholarships thanks to the amazing Ellington Community Scholarship Association team.

And now, in our fund's tenth year of existence, we could not be more proud to announce our 2026 winner - Bryan Margelony.

Bryan's high school tenure saw impressive athletic feats on both the soccer field and the golf course. A born leader, teammates (and coaches) soon took notice, resulting in his captaincy of both squads at the varsity level. That leadership didn't just stop on the field, though, translating over to the classroom and beyond it, with his involvement in Unified Basketball as well as the local church's youth group.

Next year, he'll be heading down south to the sunny shores of Florida Gulf Coast University to study PGA Management, where we have no doubt he will create an even larger legacy than the one he has left in the Ellington community.

Can't wait to see all that you'll accomplish, Bryan. Congratulations, from the whole Around the Worlds team!

30/05/2026

Earlier this week, we kicked off May programming with an afternoon collaboration alongside the incredible Escuela Hogar del Perpetuo Socorro team. Having first worked with them back in 2020, it was special to (once again) help a new contingent of young athletes navigate the beautiful game the Around the Worlds way.

Despite the six year hiatus, our curriculum remained largely unchanged. Thanks to our friends over at Challenger Sports, post-program prizes were plenty, just as they were at the conclusion of our first ever session. Our offerings hadn’t shifted, but rather, upgraded, to now include an arts session for the nearly two dozen beneficiaries present. And the joy… well, that (much like our curriculum) remained untouched, too.

And what played out for the following 90 minutes was a flurry of excitement - only crescendoing from one exercise to the next art activity. Enthusiasm stretched from the pitch to the classroom. Eagerness jumped from the ball to the canvas. The girls could surely play, and they weren’t shy to share it loud & proud.

“You guys all like soccer, right?” Stephen asked, polling our first set of participants.

“No…,” said the littlest of the bunch, a soft spoken girl with glasses. Imagine Stephen’s shock. “No me gusta el futbol,” she continued.

“Me ENCANTA el futbol!” she exclaimed, with a grin that could reach from one sideline to the other.

20/05/2026

Our fifth and final Lima-based session kicked off with nearly 20 beneficiaries from Casa San Buenaventura of Ciudad de los Niños. Having waited patiently in the wings for five whole days, the group was eager as ever to participate - with all of them set to experience our curriculum for the very first time.

Adequately prepared to not just match their excitement, but exceed it, Stephen brought out the big guns - hitting ball control grids, listening exercises, one-on-ones at goal, and a (crowd-favorite) shooting drill. It was a joy to see the boys, our eldest participants in this marathon set of sessions with Ciudad de los Niños, transition effortlessly from drill to drill, carefully mastering one skill before moving expeditiously to the next.

And once all those skills had been successfully mastered, there was nothing left to do but showcase them in an all-out, competitive scrimmage.

"Futebol!" the kids screamed out with glee, for this was the part they had been waiting for all morning. Coaches, field players, goalkeepers - everyone played their part. Highlight reel-level shots were met with equally-as-impressive saves. Five-star skills were met with bone-crunching tackles.

Off to the side, Stephen couldn't help but smile. For the scrimmage, itself, was a coach's dream. The kids were applying the exact things they had learned earlier over to practical, in-game scenarios. There was nothing left for him to do, but sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of his labor on display.

10/05/2026

Our second to last Lima-based program featured an early morning session with Casa San Antonio of Ciudad de los Niños. Similar to years past, the boys entered the fray donning their finest (matching) Peru kits. Checking in at a baker's dozen, they stood at the ready, eager to learn and even more eager to play.

Just like with their brothers from Casa Niño Jesús and Casa Sonrisa Franciscana earlier in the week, Stephen shepherded the day's participants through a variety of drills - specifically designed to test their skills, knowledge, and (in some cases) their patience. Perfection was never the goal, as long as progress was being made along the way. And though sometimes slow or hard to come by, that progress was there. Not because of Stephen, but because of the boys and their willingness to improve.

Breaking into a one-touch passing grid, our group hit a snag. They just couldn't seem to find their footing, and the drill was completely out of sync. Stephen let things run their course for a bit, but eventually had to screech the exercise to a halt. He didn't scold though, instead, he saw it as a learning opportunity.

"Bring it in guys, bring it in… let’s have a chat," Stephen said. "Tell me, what went wrong there? It was complicated, no? Why?"

"Pues, Profe, he would pass the ball too strong and I couldn't control it without taking an additional touch," said a young boy, gesturing towards another.

"Wait up, we don’t need to use names, it was a challenging drill for all of us. So what’s the trick? What do we need to change next time?" Stephen replied.

"Suavecito, Profe… if we all pass the ball gently, the drill will run smoothly," an older boy said confidently and correctly - his teammates nodding in agreement.

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