Julie Foudy, captain of the 2004 U.S. Women´s National Soccer Team and Uniroyal tire spokesperson, is going to spend her last national team appearance playing for more than just a gold medal.
Foudy and Michelin North America Inc. are teaming up to raise money for youth soccer based on her performance this summer at the Olympic games in Athens, Greece.
For every goal Foudy scores in Athens, Michelin, as part of its Uniroyal soccer program, will donate $100,000 in soccer equipment to communities where the tire brand and its dealers are supporting youth soccer leagues. For every minute she plays, Michelin will donate $1,000 in equipment.
Foudy, who has been a spokesperson for Uniroyal tires for nearly five years, is a 17-year veteran member of the U.S. Women´s National Soccer Team. When the team won the silver medal in 2000, Foudy played a total of 450 minutes and scored one goal in a total of five games. If she matches those statistics this year, Michelin´s donation will total $550,000.
"Julie and her teammates have done so much for the game of soccer since they won the World Cup in 1999," says Tim Jamison, Uniroyal brand director. "Like millions of Americans, we´ll be cheering them on again this summer, and we´ll be cheering particularly loud for Julie -- because the more she plays for the U.S. team, the more equipment will go to youth soccer programs across the country."
During last year´s Women´s World Cup, Michelin conducted a similar donation program based on Foudy´s performance and donated nearly $300,000 to youth soccer programs. That donation was only a portion of the more than $5 million in equipment and funds that Michelin has given over the last five years.
"This is a great way to add more excitement to my last national team appearance," says Foudy. "I´m going to fight for every minute of playing time and I´m going to score as much as possible to ensure that thousands of kids get the equipment and funds they need to play soccer."
