Programs for Rural Youth
Rural Access Sports (RAS) develops free and accessible programming in rural communities to introduce new experiences and sports, support athlete development, and strengthen local coaches and communities that make rural sports possible. Our programming is currently focused on:
Sports Camps & Clinics
Free and accessible camps and clinics that give rural youth opportunities to develop their skills, build confidence, and experience high-quality coaching close to home. In addition to expanding existing sports opportunities, RAS aims to introduce youth athletes to sports that may not currently be available in their schools or communities.
Professional & Collegiate Sports Experiences
Opportunities for rural youth to attend professional and collegiate sporting events, experience new levels of competition, see athletes and teams they can look up to, and better understand the opportunities and careers that exist throughout the sports world.
Coach Education & Resources
Training, collaborative learning sessions, and practical resources for the local coaches who work with rural athletes every day. RAS brings together local knowledge with outside expertise and evidence-informed resources to strengthen coaching practices, support the development of female athletes, and build capacity that remains in the community long after an individual RAS program ends.
Community Sports & Recreation
Community events, recreational tournaments, and other accessible opportunities that bring people together through sport. These programs are designed to make participation fun, social, and welcoming while strengthening connections among athletes, families, schools, coaches, and the broader community.
Inaugural Program: Girls Summer Soccer Camp
Rural Access Sports (RAS) launched its inaugural program in August 2026 with a free, four-day Girls Summer Soccer Camp for youth athletes in Sherburne, a rural community in Central New York. The camp combined high-quality soccer training with RAS’s Female360 curriculum, specialized experts, nutritious meals and snacks, and community-building all at no cost to families. The program was designed to develop not only stronger soccer players, but also confident youth athletes, leaders, and teammates with a strong sense of belonging in sport.
Strengthening Local Sports Systems: Coaches Kickoff Dinner
Our investment started with coaches. Before campers arrived, RAS hosted a Coaches Kickoff and collaborative learning session bringing together local public school coaches across modified, JV, and varsity girls soccer; professional coaches from New York City; and RAS volunteer coaches.
The session included dinner and created space for two-way learning. Local coaches shared their knowledge of their athletes and community, while visiting professional coaches introduced their approach to soccer development and confidence building. Together, the group aligned around camp culture, coaching expectations, and the purpose and principles of RAS' Female360 curriculum.
Each coach received a thank you bag containing USA Women's Soccer Head Coach Emma Hayes' leadership book, our camp book Wolfpack by Abby Wambach, a U.S. Soccer cap, homemade jam, and a soccer themed toiletry bag of free menstrual products for players' use during soccer season.
Soccer to Build Confidence
Half of each camp day was dedicated to soccer development with an emphasis on playing with confidence. Rural Access Sports partnered with DKay Henry Soccer, bringing experienced female coaches from New York City to Central New York to lead on-field training. Founded by former professional soccer player DKay Henry, DKHS combines technical soccer development with confidence-building and social-emotional learning.
Throughout the week, coaches encouraged athletes to take risks, communicate, support their teammates, recover from mistakes, celebrate success, and play with confidence. Girls were challenged technically while learning that development requires being willing to try something you might not get right the first time.
RAS Female360 Curriculum
Inspired by USA Women's Soccer Head Coach Emma Hayes’ vision for developing women and girls through a female lens, Rural Access Sports (RAS) brings this approach to the grassroots level through programming designed specifically around the development, health, experiences, and opportunities of girls in rural communities.
Rather than copy systems historically designed for boys and men, RAS Female360 curriculum starts with the female athlete. The curriculum consists of six thematic pillars delivered through interactive educational sessions, activities, discussions, and take-home resources that help girls better understand their bodies and minds while connecting them to the history, culture, and opportunities within women’s sports.
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Mental & Emotional Health
Athletic development includes taking care of the mind as well as the body. Campers participated in an age-appropriate conversation focused on mental health awareness, reducing stigma around asking for help, supporting teammates, and recognizing that seeking support is a strength. A licensed mental health professional and certified yoga instructor from Oneonta, Lisa Flachs, joined RAS for the day to support the conversation. Campers were also able to submit questions anonymously, creating a safer way to ask about topics they might not feel comfortable raising aloud.
The day concluded with an introductory yoga and intentional-rest session focused on collective breathing, slowing down, and light yoga movements. Rather than approaching yoga as another form of exercise, Lisa introduced campers to the practice as a tool for rest, recovery, mindfulness, and creating space to reset both physically and mentally.
Together, the sessions reinforced that athletes do not have to navigate difficult moments alone, encouraged girls to reach out to trusted adults when they need support, and introduced practical ways to intentionally care for their mental and emotional well-being.
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Women's Health
RAS’ Female360 curriculum creates space for girls to learn about their bodies as female athletes without stigma or embarrassment. Campers participated in age-appropriate menstrual health education provided by Period: The Menstrual Movement and discussed topics such as menstrual cycles, nutrition, symptoms, and barriers to participating in sport and education. Every camper received a free soccer-themed toiletry kit stocked with complimentary menstrual products in different types, sizes, and absorbencies.
Both campers and coaches also received Dove’s Body Confident Sport resources focused on building body confidence and creating more supportive sports environments for girls. The program provides coaches with practical activities and tools they can continue integrating into practices and team conversations throughout their school soccer seasons, extending confidence-building beyond camp and into girls’ everyday sports experiences.
Menstrual cycles are a normal part of many female athletes' lives, yet stigmas and lack of access to menstrual products keep girls from participating in sport. Our goal is to give girls knowledge, resources, and confidence.
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Modern Game of Women’s Soccer: USWNT Culture & Legacy
Campers learned that participating in women's soccer also means becoming part of its traditions, stories, and community. Camp week's favorite tradition was our camp chant, which is the USA Women’s National Soccer Team’s (USWNT) chant that they do each game before taking the field and winning gold medals. "OOSA! OOSA! OOSA! UH!" became our rallying cry during camp, setting the energy, fun, and collective culture that girls soccer is all about.
Campers explored the legacy and culture of the U.S. Women’s National Team, beginning with the original 1985 team and the “OOSA” chant born during its first trip to Italy and carried forward by generations of USWNT players. They learned about the 1999 World Cup champions and their role in growing women’s soccer, culminating in the iconic July 10, 1999 Final at the Rose Bowl. Each morning, campers also read and discussed leadership lessons from USWNT legend Abby Wambach’s leadership book, Wolfpack.
The week ended with the story of the 2019 USWNT, whose players filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer while preparing to compete in the World Cup, then went on to win the 2019 World Cup in France as fans chanted “Equal Pay!” during the celebration. Campers learned how the players continued their fight in the years that followed, ultimately reaching a historic settlement and establishing equal compensation between the USA women’s and men’s national teams. While this changed the standard for U.S. Soccer and set a powerful example for the global game, campers also learned that FIFA World Cup prize money remains unequal, and that there is still more work to be done to advance equality in women’s soccer globally.
Picture from National Women's History Museum
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Nutrition
Throughout camp, we talked about nutrition through one consistent idea: Food is fuel. Sports, especially soccer, ask a lot of an athlete's body. Campers learned about the importance of food to perform, hydrate, recover, rest, and give their bodies the energy needed for hours of movement and learning.
RAS put those lessons into practice with the generous support of Chobani, who donated Greek yogurt protein drinks to help fuel our youth athletes. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, sports drinks, and water were were also provided free throughout every camp day, with intentional breaks for athletes to eat, hydrate, and recover. Coaches regularly checked in with campers and encouraged them to grab a snack, refill their water, and fuel before returning to activity.
Every camper also received a nutrition resource developed by Chobani in collaboration with U.S. Soccer, covering nutrition, meal planning, fueling, recovery, and hydration for youth sports performance. By combining education with actual access to nutritious food and hydration, campers could practice the habits we were asking them to learn.
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Women's Sports History
To understand the opportunities girls have today, campers learned about some of the women and movements that helped create them. Girls explored stories including Althea Gibson breaking racial barriers in professional tennis; Billie Jean King, $1 Contracts, and the fight for equality in women's sports; and Title IX's transformation of athletic opportunities for girls.
Campers then connected national history to their own community by exploring the development of girls' sports at Sherburne-Earlville Public School. Before camp, youth participants researched historical S-E yearbooks to identify when different girls' sports teams first appeared and documented what they discovered. During camp, they shared their findings with fellow campers and helped build a Women's Sports History Timeline displayed on the classroom bulletin board, connecting milestones like Title IX and the growth of women's sports nationally with the history that unfolded in their own school and community.
The lesson was simple: the opportunities we inherit were built by people before us, and every generation has an opportunity to build something better for the one that follows.
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Sports Psychology
Every camp day included a dedicated 30-minute sports psychology session led virtually by Sierra Morris, MS, CCWS, a sport psychology professional, Sherburne-Earlville alumna, and lifelong athlete. Sierra works with athletes and organizations on mental performance and resilience, using research-backed techniques to develop skills including confidence, focus, mindfulness, communication, team cohesion, and resilience.
Throughout the week, campers practiced mental-performance skills including confidence, intention-setting, mindset, and thinking about the legacy they want to leave as athletes and teammates. Daily sessions allowed girls to apply what they learned directly on the soccer field and continue building those skills throughout camp.
The week concluded with a career-development Q&A with Sierra, giving campers the opportunity to learn how someone who once attended their school and played sports in their community built a career in sport psychology.
For RAS, career exposure is another form of access: rural athletes should be able to see the many places sport can take them, including careers beyond playing the game.