New Jersey City University

JERSEY CITY, NJ…The New Jersey City University men’s soccer team has pledged to donate new soccer balls to be sent overseas and given to Iraqi children as part of a program being coordinated in the Jersey City community. 

An article printed in The Jersey Journal on Thursday, October 30 put forth a request from Jack Burns, Hudson County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator and a Jersey City resident. Burns’ son Jon, an Army specialist stationed in Iraq, called his father and explained his idea for distributing soccer balls to Iraqi children. Jack Burns in turn reached out to the Jersey City community. 

In response to this request, The Soccer Learning Center of Jersey City, run by Alex Lalaoui, is reaching out to players and the community, with the goal being to collect 200 soccer balls by November 8.

Gothic Knight sophomore forward SEBASTIAN JOULAIN (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) discovered the article while reading the newspaper and contacted NJCU second-year head coach CRISTIAN da SILVA, who in turn has donated 10 new soccer balls to aid the efforts of Jack and Jon Burns and Lalaoui. 

“Sebastian contacted me after reading the article and I just decided it was a great idea and an opportunity for us as a team to contribute to a worthy cause,” said da Silva. 

A longtime soccer coach, da Silva has been involved with programs for children of all age groups throughout his career. He understands the hope and opportunity soccer can present to the children of Iraq. 

Joulain, a junior academically, majoring in Media Arts at NJCU, said, “I thought it would be nice for the men’s soccer team to contribute to the community through the sport we all love, but, most importantly, I thought of the children this would reach.”

The New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer also recognized the joy this action would bring Iraqi children, and donated 12 soccer balls to the campaign. The Jersey City Lodge 4 of the Fraternal Order of Police also contributed soccer balls. Jersey City Mayor Jeremiah Healy donated 10 soccer balls as well and has set up a collection box in the lobby of City Hall on Grove Street for anyone interested in donating new soccer balls.

Joulain added, “This is about the community, several different groups of people, an idea, and compassion brought together to make something special happen. Soccer just happened to be the outlet in this particular case. We are paying it forward.”