SOCCER DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL

THE HAND UP PROGRAM

What is 'Hand Up?'

The 'Hand Up' is a program designed by Soccer Development International's Technical Director Neil Berment in 2003, is directed to giving less fortunate players an opportunity to succeed in Soccer, through some act of kindness by another soccer player, Coach and or fan. The program encourages or hopes to encourage more fortunate players, Coaches and or Fans to donate their gear to the less fortunate ones. Since its inception in 2004, the 'Hand Up' program has evolved into two arms; The 'Hand Up-Donate Your Gear' Program and The 'Hand Up Partnership Program (HUPP).

Hand Up Partnership Program (HUPP)

The Hand Up Partnership Program (HUPP) is a volunteer program designed to provide necessary assistance to players, coaches and other soccer affiliates of SDI. HUPP volunteers give and or share either their time, knowlegde and or expertise in various areas such as:

• Connecting players with collegiate coaches
• Volunteer at various projects and programs hosted by Soccer Development Intl.
• Providing gear to less fortunate players
• Being available for mentoring young players
• Being available to transport players or other persons in the network to and from their destinations when possible
• Sharing their life experiences to young and upcoming players
• Educating players on college preparation
• Providing a hot meal when necessary
• Donating toiletries if and when necessary to players in need
• Helping scout players
• Refering players and or Coaches to other persons withing the network and other services that will play a huge role in the development of the players.

These services are all volunteers and are not in any way mean't to be mandatory. The concept is to give the receiving player a 'Hand Up and not a hand out. Our hope is that this player receiving the hand up, will one day, do the same for another player and or Coach. Our goal is to help make the transition of players and or Coaches much easier, and encouraging all to do the same for others.

Current HUPPs:

Neil Berment	Collin McFarlane
Franz Jones	Roget Bryant
Eugene Eshun-Phillips	Nikola Abrams-Sampson
Andy Salandy	Keol Newton

The Hand Up-Donate Your Gear:

The concept following the 'Hand Up-Donate Your Gear' program is that we at Soccer Development Intl. hope to encourage the players who received the gear to in turn, pass it up to other soccer players.  It is all about opportunity. Soccer Development Intl's use of the term 'Hand Up' simply means that we will like to give players the opportunity to succeed and make that process as least expensive but as rewarding as possible. Giving a 'Hand Up' is better than giving a hand out, as we are encouraging players to do good for the benefit of the game. This is a way of now developing the player's mindset. To date, Coaches, teams, parents and individual players have donated their new and or used gear to Soccer Development Intl. who intern has distributed them to various players and or clubs in need. Some recipients of the Hand Up program so far are; Tunapuna Secondary School - Trinidad and Tobago Fulham F.C. - Trinidad and Tobago Santa Rosa F.C. - Trinidad and Tobago   

  ***Donate Your Gear Today!!!***