The YSI Foundation
The YSI Foundation was founded with the belief that any child who wants to play the beautiful game should be able to play regardless of socioeconomic status.
Unfortunately, the rising cost of playing soccer, coupled with rising economic inequality, is increasingly leading poor and even middle-class families to hang up their cleats. The impact on the kids who are forced to quit is devastating - research shows kids who don’t play sports are more likely to be obese, less likely to get a college degree, and more likely to suffer chronic illnesses.
This is why YSI Parents and YSI Founders came together to start The YSI Foundation - to give more children the opportunity to play the beautiful game and the tools and community to succeed off the field as well as on the field.
Through the generosity of our donors, The YSI Foundation will be able to provide financial assistance to participants and their families whose financial circumstances make it difficult to cover the cost of player dues and uniforms. Your donation, no matter the amount, will help us help children. The YSI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and as such, all contributions made to The YSI Foundation are tax-deductible.
For corporate sponsorship opportunities or other ways you can help, please see below and/or email theysifoundation@gmail.com.
Our Staff
Joaquin Uribe
"KINI"
PRESIDENT, CO-FOUNDER & HEAD COACH
Joaquin honed his skills in the farm systems of various professional soccer teams in Spain. After moving to the USA at the age of 20, he continued to play soccer for fun. He has coached both the Boys' and Girls' Soccer Teams at Alcott Elementary School in Chicago, as well as the Boys’ Soccer Team at the Lab School of the University of Chicago.
Joaquin holds a “D” License from the US Soccer Federation and is a certified Grassroots Referee. Before fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a soccer coach and mentor, he was a lead engineer for a major manufacturing company in Chicago. Joaquin earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
Rolando Paz
"ROLO"
CO-FOUNDER & HEAD COACH
Rolando Paz grew up in Puerto Cortes, Honduras, and moved to New York City at the age of 14. He played for multiple amateur teams and leagues at competitive levels. He was named “Rookie of the Year” his first year playing for City College of New York (CCNY) and was MVP for 3 consecutive years. In 2002, he was inducted into the CCNY Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2002, he traveled to Portugal to compete against teams from Norway, England, Portugal and Sweden.
While living in New York City, he had the opportunity to coach children with special needs in a summer program in the Bronx and a women’s team in Manhattan. Rolando is certified by the US Soccer Federation as an “D” License coach and he also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from CCNY.
Jose Piña
"PECO"
CO-FOUNDER & HEAD COACH
José Piña grew up in Chile and has played soccer all his life. He holds that South American passion for “the beautiful game.” In Chile, he played at the college level, and until recently, he played at the highest amateur level in the State of Illinois. In 2011, Peco graduated from the Master's of Sports Administration program at Northwestern University.
In 2012, he obtained his Coach License with the Illinois State Soccer Association (ISSA), and he completed his certification with the Illinois Youth Soccer Association (IYSA) for coaching children in the U-10 and U-8 divisions. Peco is certified by the US Soccer Federation as an “E” License coach and also a FA/CPR/AED certified. Peco is the co-founder of Funfundamentals, a former CPS after-school provider, serving more than 300 students between 2012 and 2014.