F3 Weekly Update

The Final Third of a soccer field is where you have to finish, where you execute, and score. At F3, we finish, we execute. 

And it takes a full team of 11 to get us to the final third.  A team of leaders and creators, with different abilities and backgrounds.

People can have ideas - I have met many people with ideas. BUT, are they actually implementing and executing on those ideas?  For the people who are - we call those people leaders, creators, entrepreneurs, etc. And that is what all of you are in your way. 

At F3, we say we are actually doing it. We are executing every day on our mission.  We have an amazing team of leaders, who understand our mission, our aim, and are all working together, cohesively as a team.  And the more we work as a team, the stronger we are as an organization.

Things are already getting a bit crazy administratively with scheduling… It’s about to be soccer season, soccer and literacy season, sprouts and environmental awareness season.

Think of how you can put in the extra effort and help to make sure everything runs smoothly so we can continue to implement and execute at the highest rate - making sure the largest possible positive impact is made on all the communities we serve and truly execute on our mission.

For the next 10, 12, 14 weeks, for the next school year, let’s all make sure we are working together and looking out for one another.

Friday, September 5th

This year, we are proud to recognize Coach Christian Chukwu Njoku and Coach Cecil Swaray of the Columbus Eagles for their outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to the communities they serve.

The Legacy Award is a reflection of our core values at F3. It recognizes individuals who are deeply committed to service, creating opportunities, and fostering change in their communities and beyond. Our goal in creating this award is to celebrate and uplift leaders who embody these principles and inspire others to do the same.

Admission to the game is free.

Location: Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (2450 Fred Taylor Dr, Columbus 43210)

Pre-game: Starting at 5:00 pm, join us outside the stadium for food and fun with Columbus Eagles, F3 employees, Board members and all of our F3 partner organizations.

Arrival: Please arrive at the game by 6:15 pm.

Game Kickoff: The match begins at 7:00 pm.

If you are an employee who has not met with  me this year please reach out and send an email - I want to have at least a 30 min meeting to hear about how you feel about the organization and what your personal and professional goals are.

Most of you know Murjan, but if you don’t yet, you’ll soon get to know him!

Murjan will be taking on a larger role, assisting with administrative tasks at the fields during all soccer programming. He’ll be working alongside Taylor and Musa to bring that personal touch that is needed for our recreational programs - during weeknights and weekends. Additionally, Murjan will serve as a Program Manager for both soccer and literacy. We’re thrilled to have him join our team!

Coach Rafa and Dr. Bennett pushed for this line on our Early Readers curriculum cover and they are absolutely right.

In soccer, as Seamus says: First, we teach them to love it. Then we teach them to play it. By 16–18, we teach them to win.

I learned the hard way that without joy, learning falls flat. My piano teacher never made it fun, and after four years, I quit. She didn’t create fun memories—and that stayed with me.

Our job is different. We spark excitement. We help kids fall in love - with the game, with reading, with trying new foods, with working in the garden and getting their hands dirty, and with caring for the environment. They can feel our energy and passion, even at age 3.

It’s not easy to bring that energy every day, but for that hour you’re with them, you’re shaping their day, their future, and their love for the game.

Teach them to love it - because that’s where it all begins.

Friday, September 5th

This year, we are proud to recognize Coach Christian Chukwu Njoku and Coach Cecil Swaray of the Columbus Eagles for their outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to the communities they serve.

The Legacy Award is a reflection of our core values at F3. It recognizes individuals who are deeply committed to service, creating opportunities, and fostering change in their communities and beyond. Our goal in creating this award is to celebrate and uplift leaders who embody these principles and inspire others to do the same.

Admission to the game is free.

Location: Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (2450 Fred Taylor Dr, Columbus 43210)

Pre-game: Starting at 5:00 pm, join us outside the stadium for food and fun with Columbus Eagles, F3 employees, Board members and all of our F3 partner organizations.

Arrival: Please arrive at the game by 6:15 pm.

Game Kickoff: The match begins at 7:00 pm.

If you are an employee who has not met with  me this year please reach out and send an email - I want to have at least a 30 min meeting to hear about how you feel about the organization and what your personal and professional goals are.

We have a form on the website that links to our new Customer Relations Management platform!

Here is a link to send teachers, parents, students and players to, to fill out so we can know they are interested in our programs. We will also be printing out flyers for Program Managers this year to have on-hand - that has been a request for over a year now.

Link to Form

I was in California for one of my best friend’s weddings and stumbled upon this hat at a grocery store. I didn’t realize there was a quote inside it until later that day.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
- Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

“The saying highlights the power of small, consistent steps to eventually lead to the completion of a vast undertaking.”

This saying has always stuck with me, and what I personally get from this quote is the following:

-Small wins over long periods of time
-Consistency
-Everything truly special in life takes time to build/grow - be patient, keep going.

The one area I would like to highlight is Consistency, and that is what F3 is all about. F3 has been able to be successful over the years because of our consistent approach in developing relationships over time to build the long-term trust that is needed with our partner organizations and schools. And that all comes down to you - our employees, the people who represent Final Third Foundation.

Together, with F3, we are all connected to the same mission. However, everyone is on their own journey - within F3, and personally and professionally. We are here to support you along your journey in any way we can.

Thank you so much to Dr. Bennett and Dr. Leiah Groom-Thomas for putting together this training and new curriculum. The amount of time and energy and quality that goes into their work is so impressive. We are so lucky to have you. For those that can’t make it to the training please reach out to them afterwards - they are working hard to make sure all information is provided to those who are out of town or who can’t leave their full-time jobs for the day.

The training will take place today from 10 AM – 2 PM at Columbus Global Academy.

Lunch will be provided!

Location: 4077 Karl Rd, Columbus, OH 43224

If you are an employee who has not met with  me this year please reach out and send an email - I want to have at least a 30 min meeting to hear about how you feel about the organization and what your personal and professional goals are.

We have a form on the website that links to our new Customer Relations Management platform!

Here is a link to send teachers, parents, students and players to, to fill out so we can know they are interested in our programs. We will also be printing out flyers for Program Managers this year to have on-hand - that has been a request for over a year now.

Link to Form

I am culturally and ethnically Jewish. I have been to Israel five times in my life. I had my Bar Mitzvah there. This is who I am, and I struggle every day with the realities of the world - I’d like to believe most of us do. However, not many people know how I truly feel, and only a couple know that my uncle’s sister, someone I knew fairly well, was recently killed by an Iranian missile.

I have a mindset that the past is the past, and we have to move forward together, no matter what happens. I’ve been through a lot in my life, and what I’ve learned over the years is that so has everyone else. I believe where humanity often misses the mark is that we rarely come to that realization.

We rarely let down our guard and open the door to others—to listen, to understand who they are, their struggles, what they’ve been through, and what they may still be going through.

When we listen to others, when we hear their struggles - there may be nothing we can do in that moment from an actionable standpoint. However, we can show that we are human. We can sit down together, we can listen, and we can show that we care.

Final Third Foundation was built on this mentality - listening, trying to understand, respecting the identity of others, and showing that we care. Most importantly, it means allowing everyone to have a seat at the table, as long as they are trying to make a positive impact on the world around us.

On Tuesday, August 6th, all Soccer & Literacy Program Managers are required to attend a Train the Trainer session at Columbus Global Academy from 

10 AM – 2 PM.

Lunch will be provided!

Location: 4077 Karl Rd, Columbus, OH 43224

What systems are you putting in place?

About a year ago, I read James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits. What really stuck with me was this quote, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” Earlier this week, I had a call with a young man who was interested in Final Third Foundation, and at the end of the conversation, he asked me, “What is the end goal for F3?”

I responded by saying that we don’t have an end goal - in the world we live in, we will always be working towards a better tomorrow, a better next generation. My goal for F3 is to put systems in place to allow us to keep moving forward, making the largest positive impact possible.

Personally and professionally, each day I wake up and think… Systems.

What am I doing the night before to make sure my next day is successful?

How do we communicate as a team - can we improve? - A weekly meeting or Zoom call? A monthly meeting? An F3 Employee Weekly Update.

Are we delegating to the quality people we have in place? How do I continuously make sure that in the chaos of the day to day, we are all working together?

What communication tool can we use to make things easier on our administration? What registration platform should be put in place?

We have an amazing team, an amazing group of people, and everyone who is a part of this organization can feel that. Now that we have the most important aspect - the people - let’s work together to improve our systems. If we can focus on this, there is no stopping F3 and the impact we can make.

On Tuesday, August 6th, all Soccer & Literacy Program Managers are required to attend a Train the Trainer session at Columbus Global Academy from 

10 AM – 2 PM.

Lunch will be provided!

Location: 4077 Karl Rd, Columbus, OH 43224

We’re still riding high from this year’s incredible Columbus Nations Cup!

Check out some amazing photos from the event:

CNC 2025 Photos

We’re proud to share that our upcoming research, which we have been running in schools since last year, has already been approved by four principals - showing the trust we’ve built and the value our work brings to each school community.

Link to more info on our research: 

Research Project

Wednesday: Coach Seamus, Coach Malik, and Coach Rafa are hosting their final free skills clinic tonight!

Thursday: We’re back in Whitehall, and 50 kids are already signed up for tomorrow’s session!

It has been over 37 years, and I still work every day to truly define my own success. And I believe I will be working hard to truly define what success means to me for the rest of my life. 

The world moves pretty quickly, and we tell ourselves we aren’t going to let others define who we are or whether we are successful, but it is so hard to do that, isn’t it? To sit back and not allow the judgment of others to affect your decision-making - what you truly believe in and how you conduct yourself - that’s hard to do.

It’s something to think about. Do you define your own success, and what is true success for you?

For me, success is to be at peace, and to be at peace means:

I have true relationships that are built on trust, experiences, and journeys together over time.

I have a loving home with a family I can count on and grow with, together.

I am healthy, mentally and physically.

I test myself every day to become better somehow, some way.

I do what I can to make a positive impact while I am alive.

This is the first time I have written/typed out what success means to me - it’s taken me almost 37 years. I will now revisit this every morning when I wake up and may make some changes along the way. I ask you to write down for yourself what success means to you - keep it to yourself - read it every day.

This year’s event was our best one yet! Your support over the past year brought us to this moment. I like to think of the Columbus Nations Cup as our New Year: a celebration of the past soccer and school year, and a fresh start as we head into the next one.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s event so special!

Week two is in full swing with Coach Rafa and Coach Malik! We're excited to be back with more free soccer fun for the community.

Don’t forget - we’re hosting a fundraiser this Saturday! Come get your car washed and support Columbus Global. We’d love to see you there!

Location: Simakovsky Law, 1450 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43205
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

In June, we hosted a free soccer clinic with about 25 kids in attendance. Our next clinic will be on Thursday, July 24th at 5:30 PM, and we’re expecting even more to join!

Let Coach Seamus know if you’d like to come out and help. 

Last week I wrote about having a global mindset. A global mindset leads to the flexibility, willingness and understanding that a growth mindset is needed to truly succeed and enjoy life. A growth mindset is a state of mind of always wanting to progress. It is a willingness to put yourself out there in uncomfortable situations to allow yourself to learn, grow, and expand your way of thinking.

A growth mindset is also showing the willingness to improve. You are willing to revisit mistakes and why they happen, and you raise your hand and take responsibility, even if it is only 1% your fault.  You see an area where you simply could be better and you can and will acknowledge that fact. 

A growth mindset leads to remaining humble, no matter how successful you become.

A growth mindset leads to a better world for everyone because you acknowledge that you can learn from each and every person you meet. 

Come out and watch on a Saturday morning if you’re free! There is a lot of talent out there with these clubs that are participating!

U6-U8: Columbus Eagles 1, Columbus Eagles 2. DL SC, Sunrise

U9-U10: Columbus Eagles, DL SC, Galacticos, Glory 2016 A, Glory 2016 B, Ocean Stars

U11-U12: Columbus Eagles, DL SC

Come out and support us at Columbus Nations Cup! Even if you are not playing, come see the event in action. Also, will have the grill going and food at my house after the event in the evening. All F3 employees and their families are welcome to stop by!

Reach out to Taylor (taylor@finalthirdfoundation.org) if you would like to form a team or play in the event, etc. If you are an employee with F3 we do expect you to attend and help out with the event!

Dr. Jessica Bennett is planning to head back to visit our partner organization in Kenya.

She is planning her November trip - does anyone want to join her!?!?

F3 and Columbus Global Academy are hosting a car wash on Saturday, July 19th from 9 AM to 10 AM at 1450 E Main St. in Columbus. We are still looking for donations such as towels, sponges, car washing soap, or any other supplies that can help!

We are noticing that young girls are signing up for our coed Prep Academy option. So we decided to form a girls-only prep academy and already have 5 signed up! Our very own Coach Eryn Bernard will be leading this group! 

If you see girls out there that want some additional training please have them contact our administration - Taylor Boveine or Erin Moran.

The second week of summer camp will be held on July 14th - 18th. Coach Malik will be joining as well! This is a great camp! Make sure to reach out to Taylor if you know anyone interested in registering or want more info!

We’ve officially partnered with Bexley Recreation & Parks for the 3 and 4-year-old program to bring our Tiny Tots program to the Bexley community.

This will include Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday programming this coming fall.

We’re also currently working with Whitehall Parks & Recreation to expand our partnership by adding programming for 3- and 4-year-olds as well.

If you know any great coaches out there who love working with 3 and 4 year-olds for this coming Fall please reach out to seamus@finalthirdfoundation.org

We have to have a global mindset. When we interact with different cultures and different ways of life, these experiences are welcomed by F3 because they allow us to grow as human beings and see outside the bubble we may be living in. How else could we choose to live? How do others live their daily lives? What brings happiness or what is important for one culture/community may be different for another. A global mindset allows you to take a step back, look at things more from a macro level, 20,000 ft view, and simply be patient as we work to support the communities we serve.

This mindset also allows us to be patient with ourselves and to slow down and take that deep breath everyone needs each and every day. It allows us to acknowledge how small we really are when comparing ourselves to the world and the universe, and that slowly allows us to remove our ego from anything we do. And if and when we remove our ego from the equation, we truly become a part of a team working together towards our mission.

You, as an F3 employee, need to be a teammate working towards our mission, which unfortunately is and will be never-ending. Our mission in the end is to bring communities together so they can see eye to eye - it’s to humanize at the youngest ages to make the next generation, simply a better one - a healthier, more inclusive one. Yes, we start with the global game - that is the connector. I love this game because of what it can do - it's a global game for everyone and a universal language - that is why I work so hard each day for F3. Why do you work for F3? Ask yourself that question everyday and make sure it is consistent with our mission. 

Come out and watch on a Saturday morning if you’re free! There is a lot of talent out there with these clubs that are participating!

U6-U8: Columbus Eagles 1, Columbus Eagles 2. DL SC, Sunrise

U9-U10: Columbus Eagles, DL SC, Galacticos, Glory 2016 A, Glory 2016 B, Ocean Stars

U11-U12: Columbus Eagles, DL SC

The 7th annual Columbus Nations Cup is quickly approaching as we are less than 2 weeks away! I hope you all can make it! I will be reaching out to each of you to see if you can help during the day of the event.

Reach out to Taylor (taylor@finalthirdfoundation.org) if you would like to form a team or play in the event, etc. If you are an employee with F3 we do expect you to attend and help out with the event!

Through this new collaboration, F3 will partner with the City of Whitehall Parks and Recreation to provide recreational league play, coaching and referee education, and seasonal soccer camps and clinics.

This is what F3 is about! Adding value to the infrastructure already in place - partnering with Whitehall Parks and Recreation to bring the knowledge, expertise and programming we have to their community.

We’d like to welcome Josie, who joined the team in May 2025 and is currently pursuing her degree in Strategic Communication at The Ohio State University.

As a communications and strategy intern, she helps manage the company’s social media presence, edits the website, and assists with our new HubSpot platform and marketing campaigns.

We hope you are already seeing a difference!

Last week F3 coaches (Rafa, Mike and Murjan) ran a very successful and fun summer soccer camp.

The second week of camp will be held on July 14th - 18th. Coach Malik will be joining as well! This is a great camp! Make sure to reach out to Taylor if you know anyone interested in registering or want more info!

We’ve officially partnered with Bexley Recreation & Parks for the 3 and 4-year-old program to bring our Tiny Tots program to the Bexley community.

This will include Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday programming this coming fall.

We’re also currently working with Whitehall Parks & Recreation to expand our partnership by adding programming for 3- and 4-year-olds as well.

If you know any great coaches out there who love working with 3 and 4 year-olds for this coming Fall please reach out to seamus@finalthirdfoundation.org