After receiving an ostensibly bizarre press release Tuesday about helping the homeless via street soccer, we scoffed. Many did, in fact. Perhaps too soon and, for worse, inaccurately. In an effort to learn more and give you, the readers, a clear perspective on the San Francisco street soccer initiative, we asked Gothamist sports writer Dan Dickinson to tell us more. Below: Dickinson's insight into Street Soccer USA and its benefits.

------

With homelessness being a huge problem in the Bay Area, I can understand why a press release from Street Soccer USA about the city hosting a West Coast Cup in June could be met with eyerolling and scorn. In a city where the homeless are being given cellphones and puppies, the idea of getting the homeless to play soccer probably sounds pretty silly at face value.

But, believe me, it's not silly. It's surprisingly effective.

I spent a day last year covering the SSUSA 2012 National Cup - an event that's structured much like the West Coast Cup will be. It was the finale to four days of activity for the teams that had been gathered from around the country: qualifying games, sightseeing around the city, and the final matches in Times Square. And while I was skeptical at first too, I found a lot of good happening.

The first thing to know: this is not a new organization, nor is it new to San Francisco. Street Soccer USA has existed since 2004. It started in Charlotte, and has grown to 20 cities, including LA, Sacramento, and - yes - San Francisco.

Second: it's involves soccer, but it's not ultimately about the soccer. Yes, these teams end up playing in 4v4 soccer matches, but their practices aren't simply about how to kick a ball. Instead, the mentors and coaches are helping the players set goals and work in a team. It gets them out of a shelter, off the street, and focused on an activity that doesn't have to just remind them about how far they've fallen. It's a big step towards getting someone who fell on hard times to start finding a positive self-image again.

Lastly, and most importantly: it appears to be working. SSUSA claims a 75% success rate in getting their players back into society within a year, be it by finding housing, landing a job, or getting back to their education. Many people who end up passing through the program come back to help run it moving forward after their lives are stable, like Bay Area coach Antoine Lagarde.

Don't get me wrong - homelessness will not be solved by street soccer alone. No program can reach every person on the street at once. But for those it is reaching, it's working wonders. When I watched the National Cup, with team after team of happily motivated people from around the country - that's when it really hit me how effective this program can be.

SSUSA isn't alone in their mission - this is a global phenomenon. There are 70 organizations around the world doing similar work, and they have held their own World Cup once a year for over a decade.

So while at first glance it may seem ridiculous that a sport is going to eliminate homelessness, maybe this is one program that doesn't warrant immediate mocking. They're doing good work.

(Dan Dickinson)