U.S. MARINE IN IRAQ USES SOCCER TO ACHIEVE MANY GOALS.

An Najaf, Iraq – December 1, 2004 - For Marines of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit fighting in An Najaf, Iraq, the breaks from the daily grind of war are few and far between. For much-needed relief, they’ve turned to the world’s most popular game: soccer. Staff Sergeant Pedro E. Aquino of Hawthorne, California, who before being deployed to Iraq volunteered much of his time at nearby Camp Pendleton coaching soccer for fellow Marines and their children, has made it his duty to organize soccer games among the troops to boost morale and relieve stress.

“We’ve taken camie (camouflage) netting, some two-by-two wood planks, and created goals,” Aquino said. “We have a worn-out ball that has hit the barbed wire so many times that it’s going to blow up any day now. But our spirits are happy for that hour we spend in the sand kicking that old beaten ball.” The games also provide a great form of exercise to help the troops stay in shape.

Until recently, player ‘uniforms’ consisted of old T-shirts with numbers drawn on the back, along with the standard military-issued fatigue pants. That changed just last week, though, when a special care-package arrived from a Seattle area-based soccer brand, Code Four Athletics. The six-year old company, in conjunction with From US To You, a non-profit organization that coordinates donations to U.S. troops abroad, donated new soccer uniforms and balls to SSGT Aquino and his fellow Marines. “There were a lot of smiling faces on the players when I told them that the uniforms had arrived,” said Aquino.

“It’s impossible to thank the troops enough,” said Mike Carter, Director of Marketing for Code Four Athletics, which has outfitted thousands of youth, college and adult soccer teams nationwide. “This is just one small way to show our support.” Pictures of the troops, their soccer uniforms and the field they’ve created are available at http://www.codefourathletics.com, the brand’s website.

From US to You is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Charlottesville, VA that is dedicated to boosting the morale of U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan through donations, letters and care packages. It is sponsored by Living Stones Ministries, and has received support in the past from individuals and corporations including The Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffett, Merck Publishing and Pacific Chai Tea. For additional information, you may visit their web site at http://www.fromustoyou.org.

You may contact Code Four Athletics through their website or by calling toll-free (888) 411-3687.

More information on the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit can be found at http://www.usmc.mil/11thmeu.

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