About PUSH
Papadia United Soccer Heroes (PUSH) (also known as Papadia United Soccer Roots (PUSR)) is a U.S.-based 501(c) non- profit organization that sponsors a youth soccer club for boys and girls ages 7 to 17 in Bamako, Mali, West Africa. The club practices Monday through Friday all year round. The boys and girls in the club get to participate in “friendly” games and in competitive tournaments on Saturdays and Sundays. Club teams play 2 to 3 tournaments per season. All games and tournaments are played on local clay fields.
Badara “Papa” Dia (pronounced “ja”) founded PUSH in 1994 his native town of Bamako, Quartier Mali with the intention of improving children’s lives using the opportunities presented through an organized soccer program. The program started with just 14 boys, and today includes over 100 boys and girls ranging from 7 years old to 18 years old. As a youth growing up in Mali, Papa can remember playing on makeshift soccer fields (baron lots) to learn the game of soccer. Not having the proper equipment such as shoes, shin guard or first aid kits to clean my sorely bruised feet were many of his childhood memories. Not much has changed in Mali for the youth today since. As he had the opportunity to travel and do what he loves with the game of soccer, his wish/dream is to share that possibility with children of Mali. Each summer he travels to Mali to lend his time and talent to help give children a sense of enjoyment, even for just a few weeks. At the end of his trip, he host a huge tournament for the local children in the community. The turnout for these events bridge the community together and momentarily, everyone forgets about the impoverished areas they call home. Although the fields they play on are riddled with sewage, garbage and debris, the children are still able to enjoy, however brief, the game of soccer. I have had generous donations of sponsors, parents, friends and people like yourself help contribute shoes, clothing, balls and other essential soccer items for the success of PUSH. While these donations are greatly appreciated, the needs of the children vary greatly. That's why he is seeking your support to help contribute for a 16-passenger van, soccer goals nets, fair soccer field and equipment shipping cost to Mali and fence around the field for the PUSH Organization. The vehicle will be utilize to transport the players from and to games and practices. Please use the link below to support!!
Push Soccer Mali West Africa
http://www.gofundme.com/kuayyg
Badara “Papa” Dia (pronounced “ja”) founded PUSH in 1994 his native town of Bamako, Quartier Mali with the intention of improving children’s lives using the opportunities presented through an organized soccer program. The program started with just 14 boys, and today includes over 100 boys and girls ranging from 7 years old to 18 years old. As a youth growing up in Mali, Papa can remember playing on makeshift soccer fields (baron lots) to learn the game of soccer. Not having the proper equipment such as shoes, shin guard or first aid kits to clean my sorely bruised feet were many of his childhood memories. Not much has changed in Mali for the youth today since. As he had the opportunity to travel and do what he loves with the game of soccer, his wish/dream is to share that possibility with children of Mali. Each summer he travels to Mali to lend his time and talent to help give children a sense of enjoyment, even for just a few weeks. At the end of his trip, he host a huge tournament for the local children in the community. The turnout for these events bridge the community together and momentarily, everyone forgets about the impoverished areas they call home. Although the fields they play on are riddled with sewage, garbage and debris, the children are still able to enjoy, however brief, the game of soccer. I have had generous donations of sponsors, parents, friends and people like yourself help contribute shoes, clothing, balls and other essential soccer items for the success of PUSH. While these donations are greatly appreciated, the needs of the children vary greatly. That's why he is seeking your support to help contribute for a 16-passenger van, soccer goals nets, fair soccer field and equipment shipping cost to Mali and fence around the field for the PUSH Organization. The vehicle will be utilize to transport the players from and to games and practices. Please use the link below to support!!
Push Soccer Mali West Africa
http://www.gofundme.com/kuayyg
The PUSH Mission and Vision
Mission and vision for Papadia United Soccer Heroes (PUSH) soccer in Mali is to PUSH the local children of Bamako Quartier Mali to have dreams and aspirations in life through soccer. To PUSH the local children to stay in school by emphasizing the importance of education while playing the number one sport (soccer) they know best. To PUSH the children to stay away from gangs and gang related activities. To PUSH the children to stay focus and be respectful to elders. PUSH them to recognize the value of team work, sportsmanship and cooperation through fair competition. PUSH them to stay involved in their community events and to model fair play and acceptance of others. PUSH them to be leaders and advocates in their community and have voice in life. PUSH the children to be active and eat healthy.
Badara "Papa" Dia
Papa Dia The Founder
Since Papa arrived in the United States, he has developed a reputation as one of the best youth soccer coaches and trainers in Northern Virginia. Papa has over 18 years of progressive coaching and training experience, including assistant and head coaching roles at the select and travel club, overseas club, private training, middle school and high school levels. Coach Dia holds numerous Virginia, Regional and National coaching licenses. He holds “F”, “E”, “D” and “C” Virginia licenses, a Regional and State Goalkeeping license and the prestigious National “Y” license.
Papa has over 20 years of competitive playing experience at the middle school, high school, college, international, semi-professional and club level. His playing experience includes both individual and team awards, including: tournament MVP awards, team MVP awards, individual scoring records and team championships. Papa can often be seen playing competitive soccer in leagues throughout the Northern Virginia, District and Maryland area.
Mr. Dia works for the Arlington County Public School system. In that role, Mr. Dia provides instructional support services to students; provides one-on-one tutoring, assists with classroom management, such as organizing instructional and other materials; assists students in participating in general school activities and maintains responsibility for student safety and personal conduct. Papa is the head soccer coach for the boys and girls teams at Kenmore Middle School. Papa is also the head coach of the girls soccer team at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA.
Papa coaches for the Arlington Soccer Association, where his travel teams have won numerous league and tournament championships.
Papa has over 20 years of competitive playing experience at the middle school, high school, college, international, semi-professional and club level. His playing experience includes both individual and team awards, including: tournament MVP awards, team MVP awards, individual scoring records and team championships. Papa can often be seen playing competitive soccer in leagues throughout the Northern Virginia, District and Maryland area.
Mr. Dia works for the Arlington County Public School system. In that role, Mr. Dia provides instructional support services to students; provides one-on-one tutoring, assists with classroom management, such as organizing instructional and other materials; assists students in participating in general school activities and maintains responsibility for student safety and personal conduct. Papa is the head soccer coach for the boys and girls teams at Kenmore Middle School. Papa is also the head coach of the girls soccer team at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA.
Papa coaches for the Arlington Soccer Association, where his travel teams have won numerous league and tournament championships.
PUSH History
As a 12 year old boy, Papa founded the beginnings of PUSH in his native Mali. At that time, he formed a soccer team that he named Racine which is a French word that means root. Papa himself was a team player, the team captain and the coach. Under his leadership, team Racine continued to grow, while winning games and tournaments. By 2004, and now known as PUSH, that single team grew into multiple teams (club) featuring 76 boys and 16 girls.
Today PUSH has 135 boys and girls under 4 coaches, 3 assistant coaches and a team manager. Every summer, Papa returns to Mali to provide in-person and hands-on leadership to the children that PUSH helps.
None of this would have been possible without the help of kind-hearted people and organizations in Virginia, Papa’s new home. Since 2004 the Lion Soccer Club of North Arlington has been a great supporting organization of PUSH with equipment and monetary donations. The Arlington Soccer Association has also provided the opportunity for PUSH fund raising activities to take place.
PUSH has also benefited from the kindness of many individual volunteers. These people have been instrumental in PUSH achieving everything it has so far. Those wonderful citizens and humanitarians include Barney Cohen, Sandy Barrett, John Mingus, Taylor Kiessig, Bob Bigney, George Seff, Andy Megas, Micheal Boda, Luis Gendive, Chris Wimmer, Curtis Wilson, Justin Wilt, now Mary Renkey, Karen Davis and many more....
Today PUSH has 135 boys and girls under 4 coaches, 3 assistant coaches and a team manager. Every summer, Papa returns to Mali to provide in-person and hands-on leadership to the children that PUSH helps.
None of this would have been possible without the help of kind-hearted people and organizations in Virginia, Papa’s new home. Since 2004 the Lion Soccer Club of North Arlington has been a great supporting organization of PUSH with equipment and monetary donations. The Arlington Soccer Association has also provided the opportunity for PUSH fund raising activities to take place.
PUSH has also benefited from the kindness of many individual volunteers. These people have been instrumental in PUSH achieving everything it has so far. Those wonderful citizens and humanitarians include Barney Cohen, Sandy Barrett, John Mingus, Taylor Kiessig, Bob Bigney, George Seff, Andy Megas, Micheal Boda, Luis Gendive, Chris Wimmer, Curtis Wilson, Justin Wilt, now Mary Renkey, Karen Davis and many more....