La Plume, PA (6-16-09) – Some of the newest fans of the Keystone College soccer program may never set foot on Keystone’s campus. In fact, they likely may never touch U.S. soil, but to a region in Iraq, the Giants are the new favorite team of an area looking to rebuild and move forward from the effects of war.
The orange and navy of Keystone College are the prominent colors among the soccer competitions in the Rashaad Valley outside of Kirkuk, Iraq.
Two brothers, a half a world apart, wanted to make a difference in the lives of the youth who have seen their landscape suffer from the effects of war and drought. Chad Prince, Keystone College’s head men’s and women’s soccer coach and Jesse G. Prince, CPT, AR, Commander of Apache Troop, 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 1st Cavalry Division, didn’t let distance stand in the way of good will.
Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 09-10, CPT Prince contacted his brother Chad with an idea about aiding relations with the local Iraqi citizens and helping this war torn area return to some form of normalcy. CPT Prince inquired about the availability of old Keystone uniforms to aid in outfitting members of the local soccer league, comprised mainly of children ages 8-12.
Chad and Keystone College Director of Athletics Dr. Matthew Grimaldi embraced the concept of helping to make a difference to the youth of the Rashaad Valley, and shortly thereafter boxes of soccer uniforms and equipment were en route to Iraq.
“Soccer, along with all other sports, provides young men and women with lessons and values that transcend any given sports’ arena. I can trace so many characteristics of myself as a person today back to the things that made me successful as a youth soccer player. This is why my brother has chosen to begin such an extraordinary endeavor in Iraq,” said coach Prince.
“It is better to keep the children of Iraq occupied in activities that teach them about sportsmanship, communication and teamwork. Otherwise, the probability that they will be influenced by the ideals of radical extremism becomes greater. Jesse and I saw this as an invaluable opportunity to pool our resources in order to provide these boys and girls with the necessary equipment and organization to begin this youth soccer league. I am fortunate for this chance to make a difference,” added coach Prince.
Kirkuk is located about 155 miles from Baghdad in Northern Iraq near the Zagros Mountains. Built by the Hasa River, archaeological remains estimate the city at over 5,000 years old.
Once the center of Iraq’s oil industry with pipelines connecting to ports on the Mediterranean Sea, the ravages of war and a drought that has lasted nearly 10 years have caused people to struggle with many issues, with most prevalent being poverty and the severe lack of drinking water.
“One of my main priorities while deployed is to partner with the local government to assist them with non lethal development and project execution,” stated CPT Prince. “This area is mainly agrarian, but suffers from a drought. The local leaders, Iraqi Security Forces and my unit work daily to establish essential services and a sense of security in the Rashaad Valley. They believe that they can increase hope in the community and keep children of the area away from becoming violent extremists by providing them with an alternate outlet (soccer).”
On May 17th members of CPT Prince’s Apache Troop at Patrol Base Doria distributed Keystone College soccer uniforms to members of the Rashaad Sub-District Council and to the children of the Rashaad Valley. The culmination of this humanitarian project occurred on May 22 when the Apache Troop soldiers were invited to the town of Upper Dugmat, where they saw the Keystone uniforms in action in Iraq for the very first time.
CPT Prince happily reported that the town of Upper Dugmat in particular has come together amid the hardship, rallying around the soccer team.