A conversation on access, opportunity, and using soccer to change communities.

Hosts

Megan
Liam

About This Episode

In Episode 34 of The Soccer Ladder, we sit down with Janine Willis, former Canadian Women’s National Team player and Board of Directors member for Soccer in the Streets (@soccerstreets).

From her journey playing at Princeton and with the Canadian National Team to now helping lead one of the most impactful soccer nonprofits in the country, Janine shares how soccer can become a vehicle for access, mobility, mentorship, and community transformation.

We dive into Atlanta’s pay-to-play challenges, youth development, mental health, social-emotional learning, and how Soccer in the Streets is creating safe spaces where every child can thrive. 

In This Episode

•  Janine Willis’ journey from Canada to the collegiate and national team level 
•  Growing up playing on boys teams due to limited girls infrastructure 
•  Playing Division I soccer at Princeton University 
•  Transitioning from soccer into law school and life after sport 
•  Why identity outside of soccer matters for young athletes 
•  The realities of pay-to-play and the participation gap in youth soccer 
•  Why Atlanta ranks among the highest in income inequality 
•  How Soccer in the Streets is using soccer to create opportunity 
•  Inside the organization’s “Station Soccer” initiative near MARTA transit stations 
•  How public transportation access impacts youth participation 
•  Bringing soccer directly into underserved schools and communities 
•  The importance of social-emotional learning in youth sports 
•  Trauma-informed coaching and mentorship 
•  Opening circles, closing circles, and teaching values like grit and joy 
•  Creating pathways beyond playing through referee and coaching development 
•  Building community ecosystems through soccer programming 

Key Takeaways

✔ Soccer should be accessible to every child
 ✔ Development is about building the whole person, not just the player
 ✔ Identity outside of sport matters for long-term well-being
 ✔ Community and mentorship can change the trajectory of a child’s life
 ✔ The game can create economic and social mobility when barriers are removed

Notable Mentions:

•  Princeton University 
•  Canadian Women’s National Team 
•  MARTA transit system in Atlanta 
•  Station Soccer initiative 
•  Social-emotional learning in sports 
•  Pay-to-play barriers in youth soccer 

Connect:

Soccer in the Streets
📸 Instagram: @soccerstreets

Nonprofit organization equipping Atlanta’s youth through soccer programming, building connections, and providing safe spaces where every child can thrive.

🎙 Hosted by @meganlinkeofficial & @liamlinke18
 🎧 Listen now on The Soccer Ladder