Asst. Women's Soccer Coach Starts Charity

By Cathy Onorati
Rotunda ReporterStrides4kidz is a group of individuals who want to help children in the community and around the world. But, at this point they are just starting out. Assistant Women's Soccer Coach Svetozar "Steve" Brdarski was inspired by Ashlee McConnell's brother. McConnell is a Longwood Alum and former member of the women's soccer team. Her brother Sgt. Andrew McConnell was killed in Afghanistan last year. On Brdarski's flight back from Andrew's funeral he thought to himself about the "impact Andrew had made and how he touched people's live and [he] started thinking about [his] own life and thinking that [he] could do more." When he got back to Longwood he sat down with his team and spoke with his friends about his desire to give back and do something more with his life. He began thinking of what he cared about the most and what he realized came as no shock to him. "I'm a coach and I've coached kids of all ages," Brdarski said showing his enthusiasm, "I'm passionate about kids." He was settled on the idea of helping children. "Strides4kidz was created because I wanted to do something fun and exciting that could help kids out."

Brdarski didn't want his charity to have a narrow focus. "A lot of charities are specific, not that there's anything wrong with that," He explained, "Every charity has a road that their on and it's pretty precise. But I wanted this to be open to take into account anything and everything." His passion for athletics and running sparked the name of the organization and with help from the soccer team they all came up with "Strides4kidz: Running miles to create little smiles." McConnell designed the logo that can be seen on the T-shirts. Brdarski said that McConnell doesn't know that her brother was the main inspiration for this group but that she does know he had a large part in it. "It's hard for me to talk about this because there's no concrete idea," Brdarski said, "I just want to help and Andrew's spirit is in this a lot."
The first race that Brdarski sported the Strides4kidz T-shirt was back in November at the Richmond SunTrust 1/2k. At this event, McConnell and her sister passed out t-shirts to children at the race as well as supported Brdarski. He said that when he wore the shirt people took notice and approached him. "After I started telling people about it I became more and more passionate about it," he explained. His main goal is for this charity to not just be localized. He wants it to eventually cover the nation and possibly spread across the world. He has high hopes for this charity that is just at the beginning stages and is not yet a "full fledged charity." "My hope," Brdarski said, "is that somebody will hear about a kid who's been in an accident in Florida and their first thought will be about Strides4kidz and they'll get on the Facebook page and post about this child's need and all 200 minds can come together to try to find a solution."

As of today there are over 300 members on the Facebook page and more are joining each day as the time comes closer to the first marathon that Brdarski has ever ran. This is also the first event that Strides4kidz will be reaching out to the public for support. The Shamrock Marathon will be in Virginia Beach on March 20 and will be raising money for the VCU Children's Medical Center. "I'm not running for myself anymore," Brdarski explained, "I'm running for the kids, this group, for the kids at the VCU Children's Medical Center, and for Andrew McConnell." Currently the group's focus is on this marathon and raising funds for this cause, but once this marathon is over other children in need will be chosen by Brdarski and the group.

McConnell has been working with Brdarski since he first had the idea to start this charity. Together they created the Facebook page and currently a website in the works for Strides4kidz, said McConnell. But for now McConnell explained, the "focus is on growing our Facebook group and just overall awareness about Strides4kidz." The group has many supporters from all over the country and even some members from foreign countries.

One local supporter includes Jennifer Bolt, mother to a son with cerebral palsy. Brdarski described her as a major supporter that the team has worked with in the past to help her and her son through fundraisers. Bolt's desire to get involved with this organization is not only about what it can do for children like her son but for children everywhere. The group "has a far reaching scope and [Brdarski] has not limited the organization." Bolt expressed that she hopes "the group is able to raise a lot of funds for the cancer treatment center and for kids with cerebral palsy and kids like [my son] who are on home programs and using alternative treatments that aren't covered by insurance."

Brdarski and McConnell both expressed their desire for the charity to not be solely focused on money. Brdarski stated that he did not even want to know how much money is raised in the name of Stride4kidz because "it's not about donating money necessarily it's about donating time and your own self to help people that you might not even know." Bolt agrees with his sentiments but she expressed "I hope that awareness is raised as well as actual funds are raised."

Strides4kidz is currently working on getting a T-shirt sale underway and are constantly looking for supporters to join their Facebook group. Go to www.facebook.com and search: "Strides4kidz" for more information and ways to help support this effort.