Lose The Shoes

Lose the Shoes (LTS) tournaments have become a popular and successful Grassroot Soccer tradition. They are 3v3 barefoot soccer tournaments happening on high school and college campuses across the country!

Origin

In the fall of 2006, Dartmouth College held the first ever “Lose the Shoes” 3v3 barefoot tournament and raised $3,000 for Grassroot Soccer’s (GRS) fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. Brandeis got onboard and together the two schools raised $15,000 over the spring 2007 semester. Since then, LTS tournaments have grown in popularity with the three main principles prevailing: educate, advocate, and donate! Although LTS has mainly been focused in the North East, tournaments have been held across the country from Cambridge, OH to Milwaukee, WI, and San Fransisco, CA, to name a few. LTS has even gone international, with tournaments being run around Canada and in Hong Kong. All proceeds from the tournaments go directly to GRS, with every $25 being raised providing one African child with the skills, knowledge and support to live HIV free.

Numbers to Date:

• 52 Tournaments
• 47 High School and College Campuses
• 19 States
• 3 Countries
• ~10,000 Students Reached
• ~$100,000 Raised

The majority of these numbers reached were in the 07/08 year alone.

What's next for LTS?

Lose the Shoes tournaments are events that fall under the Grassroot Soccer United (GRSU) umbrella, alongside Ethan’s Dribble. LTS is planning on building on the publicity created by the launch of GRSU and the Dribble this fall to expand our network of high school and college coordinators who are ready and excited to go out and organize Lose the Shoes tournaments along Ethan’s route and across the country! With this major campaign LTS is aiming to double the numbers it has already achieved.

Visit www.KickAIDS.org for information on how to run your own tournament!