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‘For every Alphonso Davies there are dozens of kids whose potential quietly disappeared’
The program now serves thousands of children each year and employs 150 part-time staff as it expands beyond soccer into multiple sports.
- A coin flip sent Tim Adams to Carleton University, eventually leading him to Edmonton where he launched Free Footie nearly 20 years ago after observing kids playing soccer at McCauley School.
- The organization expanded from four schools to 64, officially rebranding as Free Play during COVID to reflect its evolution beyond soccer into daily after-school programming.
- Programs like the Wolves and Welcome to Play currently serve 25 schools, while superstar Alphonso Davies, who arrived in Edmonton as a refugee from Ghana, participated in the program.
- Adams emphasizes that sport serves as a tool for human development, teaching social-emotional skills and mutual respect, as research confirms one caring adult can shape a child's future.
- With the World Cup now in Canada, Adams envisions expanding Free Play nationally, advocating for investment in after-school programs to ensure the event leaves a lasting social legacy.
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Total News Sources16
Leaning Left16Leaning Right0Center0Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Left
Bias Distribution
- 100% of the sources lean Left
100% Left
L 100%
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