Black Star returned to Houston on November 10-12 for the second consecutive year of talent identification and community programming, highlighted by our HBCU Soccer ID Camp.
HBCU Soccer ID Camps is the only scouting platform that specifically aims to place high school student-athletes in soccer programs at Historically Black colleges and universities. In 2022, Black Star established a unique partnership with Morehouse College alumnus and HBCU Soccer ID Camps founder, Averick Parker, to bring the HBCU Soccer ID Camp to Houston.
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are anchor educational and cultural institutions for Black communities in the United States – thus, a logical partner for our Black Star events. Prior to the passing of school integration laws and policies, Black students were either not allowed or unwelcome at traditional public and private colleges and universities.
Today, these institutions of higher learning remain integral to the education of Black students nationwide. HBCUs confer 17 percent of all bachelor’s degrees and 25 percent of all STEM degrees awarded to Black students in the United States.
Great Turnout at Black Star HBCU ID Camp
119 aspiring collegiate student-athletes joined us at Houston Sports Park for the HBCU ID Camp, competing in front of nine colleges and two professional teams.
“Take accountability and ownership of your soccer career and education. Being proactive translates not only in how you act in a team setting, but also in how you approach your academics. When you go college, you’re not just an athlete – you’re a student-athlete. There’s a balance that has to be applied to both sides of that coin. One doesn’t operate without the other. Accepting ownership and accountability right now will put you in a better situation to succeed not just in college, but in life.”
– Mo Edu; U.S. Men’s National Team legend and Black Star advisory board member during the College Soccer Q&A session
Participating HBCUs and general colleges included:
- Howard University
- Jackson State University
- Tougaloo College
- Mississippi Valley State University
- Huston-Tillotson University
- Wiley University
- Paul Quinn College
- Bryant & Stratton College – Buffalo
- Chicago State University
Professional scouts from the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer Youth National Team also participated.
Events like our HBCU Soccer ID Camp wouldn’t be possible without the great support of corporate and community partners, including Allstate, adidas, Houston Dynamo F.C., the Houston Dash, South Texas Youth Soccer Association, and Houston reVision.
Black Star’s HBCU Soccer ID Camp in Houston provided a powerful platform for players to advance their soccer and academic journeys and a meaningful opportunity for our brand and community partners to amplify HBCUs and their athletic programs.
Black Star Community Pickup Heads to Pitch 25
While the HBCU Soccer ID event was the main focus of the Houston weekend, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention the fun that was had at our Community Pickup event on Friday to kickoff the weekend’s activities.
In collaboration with the Houston Dynamo and Pitch 25, we invited the community out for a night of great music, great food and drinks, and even better soccer.
A big thank you to everyone who joined us in Houston, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Washington, D.C. in 2023. We look forward to more community building and fun next year. Stay tuned for event location and date announcements.
Extratime – Black Star director interview in Houston Defender
If you’d like to learn more about Black Star and what you may anticipate at future events, check out this conversation featuring Laura Onyeneho of Houston Defender and our own Patrick Rose.