The Negus Kloehn Memorial 3v3 Tournament
Saturday, July 17th and Sunday, July 18, 2021
8:00 am - dusk
Eagle-Vail Homestake Peak Fields
Avon, CO
Ages: 8-Adult
Money raised goes directly to Save The Ball Foundation.
Dear Vail Valley Businesses, US Soccer Clubs and Families,
We are excited to announce the 1st Annual Negus Kloehn 3v3 Memorial Soccer Tournament which will be
held Saturday, July 17th and Sunday, July 18th 2021 in Vail, Colorado. Proceeds will benefit Save the Ball,
Soccer for Africa, Inc., a non-profit foundation established to honor Negus Kloehn’s vision and mission to
donate nets and balls to impoverished areas of Africa for children to play more soccer. The tournament
aims to draw out the love of soccer from child to adult. Ages U8 to adult leagues will be able to compete at
this incredible weekend event.
Negus’ Mission: To ignite laughter, smiles and
confidence in children throughout Africa by enabling
the love and play of more soccer!
Fee: $350 Early Registration with league $50 discount,
only early registration $25 discount
Age Range: U8-Adult
Registration Opens: February 16th, 2021
About Negus: Negus Kloehn died April 28, 2020 from epilepsy complications. He was a gifted athlete and
loved soccer tremendously. Negus was adopted when he was 6 years old from Gambella, Ethiopia with his
sister Elilta who was 5. They came from a very humble background, a one-room hut with a thatched roof
and a dirt floor. They were knee deep in tremendous poverty and had significant health issues. Negus
played a lot of soccer in Gambella with other children which is how he learned his exceptional footwork and
the mechanics of the body and how to pass, score, trap, etc. People would watch Negus on the field and
say he was the next Pele!
The children in Ethiopia made a ball out of plastic bags and string since they
lacked real balls. They did not have nets and they marked boundaries with
stones. Negus’ dream was to become a professional soccer player and
provide nets to children of Africa. He thought that by providing nets,
children would have more time to play rather than chase balls. Even two
weeks before he died, Negus expressed his wish to provide nets and balls for
children of Africa.
"I want to become famous and play soccer to send some soccer nets to Africa so they can put the nets on the
goals and play more soccer- so if they shoot on the goal the ball won’t go through the goal, and they don’t
have to chase after the ball." - Negus Kloehn
Negus had a dream and he wrote about it often at school. His dream was to become a professional soccer
player and then coach and distribute nets to children of Africa.
This is a bit from his short story:
Negus says, “That’s nice to help kids play soccer and teach them how to work as a team and never give
up. Always help your teammates get up. Also, help the other team you play against. Even though you
may not want to help them, you should, to show good sportsmanship. That is what good soccer players
do to show good sportsmanship.”
Negus was so touched and felt so much connection to these kids, he went back year after year to be
with his team. And the nets always held out.
Please see savetheballsoccerforafrica.com
