Celtic in the Community
Seattle Celtic is special because of the wonderful community of players, parents and coaches. We state that we strive to provide a perfect mix of energy, passion and expertise in our approach to coaching and we are so fortunate to have such great coaches and more importantly great people representing our club. Our staff’s passion for the club and the game of soccer is unparalleled. It is never more evident than during summer tournament and game weekends, where there are often several coaches in attendance to support each other’s teams.
Why We Value Community
As coaches we strive to provide the best and most enjoyable learning environment possible. The friendly atmosphere and strong sense of community at Seattle Celtic among coaches, parents and players increases the desire for players to come to practices and continue their development. We want every player, regardless of their age, level of team or length of time spent at Celtic to feel valued as an important member of our organization. As we continue to grow, it is vital we don’t lose this important element which has aided our success. 80% of our families come from within 2 miles of Magnuson park, so it is important that we strive to continue being a positive impact in the local community.
Current Projects/Partnerships
Giving back to our community and providing opportunities for our young players to learn and value the importance that community can have on their development is something we aim to continue working hard at implementing. Here are examples of partnerships with local and international organizations over the years:
Eli’s Park Project
How It Started (by project founder and Celtic mom Paige Reischl)
The Eli’s Park Project began with a boy who happened to be born with Down syndrome and the superpower of inclusion. Inspired by the love he shared wherever he went and troubled by the exclusion he faced in public spaces, our goal has always been to center the least heard voices to create a community where all members are loved.
Seattle parks define neighborhoods and shape communities. Yet only 1 of 508 is designed for inclusive play, leaving many people without access to the physical and social benefits of nature. Barriers of inclusion can be physical and emotional—a lack of access and a lack of feeling welcome.
A resounding message the Eli’s Park Project has heard is that disabled, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ community members are among the most excluded and least safe in nature and public spaces. Bringing people together with love, we can see the values, goals and humanity we have in common.
That’s why, together, we’re transforming the former Burke-Gilman Playground Park into an accessible, nature-based park and equally importantly, we’re building the more diverse, more inclusive community who will gather there.
How It’s Going
We have brought together thousands of community members and hundreds of community partners to imagine a place that works for everyone.
The park has been renamed Pathways Park by the community, representing both the journey we took together and the multiple pathways that are key to the ensuring the entire park is accessible to all.
The park design is finalized and the project is finally out to bid. Next steps are hiring contractors and building the park! The project has raised over $5 million so far guaranteeing that construction will begin upon hiring. Several of our favorite features, including the Treehouse Overlook featuring one of three Rainbow Snags are bid additives, meaning they will be included if the money raised covers the bid. We are continuing to raise funds to ensure that each feature dreamed by our community shows up in the renovated park.
Thank you for helping us create a place where people of all ages, abilities and identities can gather and where everybody belongs.
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Celtic Christmas T-Shirt Fundraiser in support of Eli's Park
We've designed some cool Christmas T-Shirts for the holiday season and for every shirt purchased, $5.00 will be donated to the Eli Park Project!
They're available now on the online club store - purchase by Thursday December 1 to ensure they arrive a week or so before Christmas!
Kids & Paper
Kids & Paper is a Seattle based organization whose mission is to help resettled kids acclimate to American culture through creative arts & sports & more. They've partnered with Seattle Parks & Recreation-Magnuson Park, as well as local schools, to provide free art therapy & recreational activities to over 80 resettled kids from Mercy Housing, Santos Place, Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney Place, and other surrounding low-income housing communities.
In November 2021 we organized a charity tournament in aid of Kids and Paper and managed to raise over $23,000 for this very worthy cause. We were so appreciative of Sounders players Shane O’Neill, Nico Benezet and Stefan Cleveland who came down to Magnuson to draw names for the raffle and present prizes to the World Cup champions and finalists as well as signing countless autographs for our starstruck players!! We posted some snaps and videos on Instagram stories which capture the fun of the day!
Earth Corps:
Seattle Celtic coaches and players came together to work with Earth Corps staff members at Magnuson Park to plant trees. This was an opportunity for players and coaches to contribute positively to the park that we call home! We are looking forward to continued collaboration with Earth Corps.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is an organization that works with vulnerable refugee populations worldwide. In Seattle, they help recently resettled families to find housing, career opportunities, and help to support children as they transition into life in Seattle. Seattle Celtic coaches helped out at the IRC summer soccer camp, directing and coaching large group games as well as smaller group exercises. The IRC soccer camp offers recently resettled children the opportunity to access familiar experiences and socialize positively with other children.
Northwest Association For Blind Athletes
The Northwest Association For Blind Athletes (NWABA) provides opportunities for blind or sight-impaired athletes to play a wide array of different sports. Seattle Celtic coaches and many members of the G05 green team were able to host a soccer event at Magnuson Park for sight-impaired local athletes. Celtic staff and players had the opportunity to work directly with young athletes, both through leading soccer exercises and playing in a big game at the end of the event.
Green Seattle Partnership
Seattle Celtic coaches and players volunteered with the Green Seattle Partnership removing weeds at the Meadowbrook Playfield in North Seattle. The event organizer said the following about the Seattle Celtic group: “"There was a total of 19 volunteers. Your group were very good workers, well prepared and did a great job of following directions. They were good natured, pleasant to work with and were very productive. The weather was quite wet and everyone kept focused even when wet! Your group was so productive, I had to end the event 45 minutes early because I ran out of weed racks for the invasive plant material that they were able to produce.”
Mercy Housing Magnuson
We first connected with Mercy Housing in 2020 for a "Food and Essentials Drive"for their food pantry at Magnuson and are delighted to be partnering with them again this year. We have found our Celtic community to be incredibly generous and with the holidays coming up and our neighbors needing more support this year, we think this is an especially timely way to make a difference in the community. The Mercy Housing Magnuson Food Pantry is open to all community members, not just families who live at Mercy Housing, and serves residents of Mercy and Santos and Solid Ground Housing as well as nearby community members. There are a couple of ways we can show our support through donations of either food or non-food/essential items. We’ll touch base in November with more details
Ryther Marathon of Hope
Ryther's mission is to help children, young adults, and their families find their path to healing and hope. The organization serves over 2,000 young people in Washington State who struggle with mental illness, trauma, substance-use, and autism through individual, family, and community services. On Saturday, October 16th, 2021 the first-ever Ryther Marathon to Hope will will be hosted at Green Lake. People can choose to run or walk a full or 1/2 marathon, 10k, or 5k. All proceeds will go to supporting Ryther’s wide range of therapeutic mental health services for children and their families. Visit the Ryther website to find out how you can get involved!
