Marquette University Athletics
Soccer Tournament Benefits Make-A-Wish Child
3/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
March 31, 2006
MILWAUKEE - Nearly 100 area youth participated in a benefit tournament to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®.
The event, organized by Excellency Clinic, was held at Marquette's Valley Fields on Friday, March 31 and featured 32 teams playing three-on-three in a World Cup style format. Marquette assistant men's soccer coach Khaled El-Ahmad is one of the founders of the Excellency Clinic.
El-Ahmad's Excellency Clinic is to help develop kids into the best soccer players that they can be through participation and instruction. While gaining soccer skills, the goal is to also help the participants become the best human beings that they can become. The organization is designed to fund opportunities for other kids thru the vehicle of soccer. Additionally, it is designed to expose youth in the program to the opportunity of helping others thru their support, friendship, sharing of experiences and communicating.
Proceeds from the Excellency Clinic's Spring Tournament Fund-raiser will help make ten-year-old Emily's wish come true through Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Wisconsin.
 Nearly 100 area youth participated in a three-on-three tournament that raised nearly $2,500 for a local Make-A-Wish child.  | |
Emily lives in Milwaukee with her parents and seven-year-old sister. She loves soccer, ballet, pizza, the color purple and playing with her bunny, Floppy. Her one special wish is to go to Orlando, Florida to meet the Disney characters and go on water slides.
"It's a proud moment that so many kids, the Marquette men's soccer team, Chris Dadaian from UWM, all of the volunteers who have helped make this a reality and this university can come together for a great cause and for a great person like Emily," El-Ahmad said. "It's important to realize how fortunate we are and it's as important for young kids to know that they have the power to help. Just by participating and playing soccer at seven, eight or nine-years old, they are doing something to help someone else."
During her wish trip that will be next month, Emily and her family will stay at Give Kids The World Village which has a swimming pool, mini golf course, movie theatre, train station and an all-you-can-eat ice cream parlor, just to name a few amenities. In addition to having a special breakfast with Minnie Mouse, they will receive passes to Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Universal Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, SeaWorld and Wet `n Wild. The trip will be a special time for the whole family.
The participants were divided into three-player teams consisting boys and girls of different ages from eight-years-old to 14-years-old. Many team members had never met, so it gave participants an opportunity to meet and play soccer with someone new. Members of the Marquette soccer team served as officials for the tournament. Emily was on-hand to witness the benefit tournament, which raised nearly $2,500 for her trip.
"I would like to thank everyone who helped out with this event, including the Excellency Clinic, Marquette University for the use of Valley Fields and the Make-A-Wish Foundation," El-Ahmad said.
Other Coaches participating in the clinic include: Ryan Seymour, Scott Dombrowski, Chris Dadaian (Assistant coach at Wis.-Milwaukee), Jesse Rosen (Assistant Coach at Marquette).
El-Ahmad and the Excellency Clinic plan on running future charitable events in conjunction with Marquette Men's soccer.
To make a donation directly to Emily's wish, contact El-Ahmad at the Marquette Men's Soccer office at (414) 288-6628.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Wishes provide a special type of medicine, diverting thoughts from the difficult routine of medical treatments and hospital visits to thoughts of possibilities, dreams and fun. For more information on the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Wisconsin, please visit wisconsin.wish.org.
