NORWICH, VT (March 20, 2014) – Grassroot Soccer announced today that soccer star Christen Press, a member of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, has joined the organization as an official Ambassador. Grassroot Soccer (GRS) is an international non-profit that uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and empower young people to stop the spread of HIV. As an Ambassador, Press will spread the GRS vision of a world mobilized through soccer to create an AIDS-free generation.

Press, originally from California, is a prolific scorer at the forward position. She holds the all-time scoring record at Stanford University, where she received the 2010 Hermann Trophy, given to the top U.S. female and male collegiate soccer players of the year. Press is currently playing professionally in Sweden for Tyresö FF and will return to the U.S. this June to play for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. Since 2013 she has regularly played for the U.S. Women’s National Team.

“I am excited and honored to join Grassroot Soccer in the quest to use the power of soccer to fight against AIDS. Soccer has always been much more than a game in my life and with the education and inspiration of GRS, I know it can positively change the lives of so many people. I hope that in some small way I will be able to contribute to this important, important work,” commented Press.

“In particular, I am very energized around Grassroot Soccer’s work with girls; the Skillz Street program to use soccer to give girls a safe space to learn life skills and build their self-confidence is something that I am eager to rally behind. I want these girls to know that they can do amazing things in their lives.”

Grassroot Soccer Founder and CEO Dr. Tommy Clark remarked: “We are thrilled to welcome Christen to the GRS Team. She is a role model for what a determined athlete can achieve. We are looking forward to working with her to engage the soccer community in our work to educate young people to stop the spread of HIV.”