June 8, 2010

LEXINGTON, KY – For UK women’s soccer players Brooke Keyes and Laura Novikoff this summer will indeed be a summer to remember as they travel to South Africa as part of a soccer group with Athletes in Action (AIA).

Scheduled to be gone from June 11-27, Keyes and Novikoff will be part of a team made up of soccer players from across North America that will help the local South African AIA ministry expand. During their stay, they will play games against university/pro teams, conduct camps and clinics for kids, partner with churches for some activities, while also bringing a humanitarian aid component to the trip.

“One of the big things with Athletes in Action is using your sport as a platform to share Christ with people and that’s one of the huge things I want to do,” said Novikoff. “Selfishly, as a soccer player, there’s no place I’d rather be in June than in South Africa (because of the World Cup), I’m excited about the opportunity to play and be a part of a culture that’s all about soccer.”

For the South Africa tour, the group will also be part of a larger project. With AIA teams from all over the world coming in due to the World Cup, the team will have a unique opportunity to spend a whole week with the South African women’s National team. They will train together, play a few games against each other, and build relationships and friendships over the week. The second week the team is there, it will be working with some churches to run soccer clinics in their communities.

“I am so blessed to have this opportunity, as well as to be able to serve the people of South Africa through the talent God has given me,” said Keyes.

Fans can follow Keyes and Novikoff on their travels at www.ukathletics.com.