More than a game, Birmingham United Soccer Association gives back to the community

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BUSA players cleaning up the gravesite at the Alabama National Cemetery. Photo from the BUSA Facebook page

Earlier this month, over 80 players from the Birmingham United Soccer Association’s (BUSA) Academy, Competitive and ECNL teams took a day away from soccer practice to volunteer with organizations across Birmingham, during the annual BUSA Serves Day project.

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BUSA players at Ronald McDonald House. Photo from BUSA’s Facebook Page

One of the state of Alabama’s largest soccer clubs, BUSA’s players, staff and families “gave back”  locally to their community in a multitude of ways including  picking up litter along the Cahaba River, making back-to-school preparations for classrooms, organizing food boxes for communities in need and cleaning  gravesites at the Alabama National Cemetery.

“The theme for our club this year is ‘Leave YOUR Mark,’” shared Andrew Brower, Executive Director of Birmingham United Soccer Association. “Our annual BUSA Serves Day was a great opportunity for staff, coaches, players and parents to do just that. It was wonderful to see so many unique projects and outreach opportunities that were passionate to our membership.”

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Photo courtesy of Birmingham United Soccer Association

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society, Ronald McDonald House, King’s Home, Grace Klein Foundation, Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Cahaba Riverkeeper, NorthStar Soccer Ministries and Restoration Academy all hosted projects with significant meaning to BUSA participants.

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Photo from the BUSA Facebook page

“We wanted our teams to take ownership of their projects with something that was important to them. We feel this year our membership did a wonderful job serving and impacting areas of great need within our communities,” added Brower.

Formed in 2006, BUSA registers over 3,200 players a season and over 7,000 annually.  Their annual Red Diamond Tournament in the Spring attracts more than 300 teams to the Magic City and is one of the largest soccer tournaments in the Southeast.

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Birmingham United Soccer Association team. Photo from the BUSA Facebook page

“BUSA Serves Day is a great reminder that one of the main goals of BUSA is to impact those around us so that we can leave our mark into making our community a better place,” concluded Brower.

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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