Since 1971!

Washington Post Article

Soccer on the Hill reunion brings back fond memories, published July 10, 2016

Brief History

By Mike Godec

All that are participating in Sports on the Hill programs and activities a carrying on the tradition of the many that have done this before you.

Soccer on the Hill was the brain child of Bryan Cassidy, a long time Capitol Hill Resident, and several others, modeled, at least in part, after Mr. Cassidy’s experience at the time during a sabbatical his family was on in Ireland. While there, his kids participated in some soccer activities, and Bryan thought that something like this would be a good thing to do on Capitol Hill. They wanted to provide some opportunities for Hill kids, so that families would choose to stay on the Hill. They started by organizing some soccer teams on the Hill.  At the time, they played their games “across the river” in Alexandria, and later, in DC on the mall, at the current location of the National Museum of the American Indian.

In the early 80s, so the SOTH mythology goes, as their numbers grew, they decided to start their own club. The name was a “spin-off” of sorts, of “Antiques on the Hill, a store that used to be across from Eastern Market, on the corner of 7th and North Carolina. In addition to kids on the Hill, they started reaching out to kids in other neighborhoods to participate as well.  

Soccer of the Hill was officially incorporated as a non-profit in June of 1980.  And the vision and values of the originally chartered organization have not changed from what they are today.

Over time, the programs grew, branching out into more teams, more age groups, and more programs. The program expanded to younger players under 6 years old, led by Patrick Coyne, who has now been doing it for nearly 30 years. Vera Sisolak and Mary Blakesley began organizing some girls’ teams, based on the Hill, to play in the Stoddert League in NW. And some of the older kids started playing in regional leagues, like the Suburban Friendship League – led today by Luis Granados.

Then, in the mid-1990s, led by a vision of expansion principally by Larry Kaufer, and organized almost exclusively by him, basketball programs were added, and shortly thereafter, a wrestling program.

And, for their long commitment of service to the Capitol Hill community, in 2016, Patrick Coyne, Greg Frane, Luis Granados, and Larry Kaufer where jointly awarded the Capitol Hill Community Achievement Award by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation.