Pat is proud to volunteer with Kickz

I’m proud to have founded Kickz, an after-school soccer program for the youth of Shelldale Better Beginnings Better Future Neighbourhood (BBBF), and I am thrilled to continue serving as a Kickz volunteer. Kickz provides healthy after-school activities while offering opportunities for youth and police to interact in a social setting.

In its ninth year now, Kickz is a result of collaboration between the Guelph Police Service, BBBF and Guelph Soccer Club. The program deliberately uses soccer as its focal point because the sport’s international popularity resonates with the diverse ethnic composition of BBBF. Indeed, soccer functions an effective bridge to help build positive relationships between police and youth participating in Kickz.

Over the years, Kickz has evolved and now provides the opportunity for select youth to teach Guelph Police recruits about their experience as part of our Cultural Appreciation Program.

This year three Kickz youth were able to try out for Guelph Soccer Rep teams and two of them made Rep teams. We are extremely proud of all these young people and their accomplishments, and commend BBBF, Guelph Soccer, the Guelph Police Services Board and Winmar Restorations for their continued support of the phenomenal Kickz program.

I look forward to expanding Kickz to other communities within our city in the coming years.

– Pat Milligan, Guelph Police Service

Photo and story courtesy of Chris Tiessen