GOOOAAALLL for Charity

School of Pharmacy student organizations collaborate to host a University-wide indoor soccer charity tournament for the American Heart Association.

By Anna Hung
May 6, 2011

Collaboration was the key element to the success of the indoor soccer charity tournament hosted by, the School of Pharmacy’s student chapters of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP), and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), on April 26 at the Pratt Gym in the Southern Management Corporation Campus Center. The gymnasium was teeming with participants wearing a colorful array of uniforms, as well as students representing the various disciplines at the University of Maryland including the Schools of Pharmacy, Law, Medicine, Social Work, Nursing, and the Dental School.

Teams played 5-on-5, in a single-elimination tournament. On the court, competition was fierce. Off the court, the environment was full of enthusiasm, loud cheering, and supporters. Many students made signs to encourage their peers.

“The soccer charity tournament was a heart healthy way to raise money for a worthy cause. The alliance between AMCP, APhA-ASP, and SNPhA was a great opportunity for students to collaborate in an effort to raise awareness and have fun,” said Taura Holmes, a Class of 2012 student pharmacist.

Each team paid $70 to play and received shirts. The winners of the tournament, a team consisting of students from the Dental School and the Schools of Law and Medicine, received AMCP and Nike sports bags. In addition to raising funds through registration, the student groups of the School of Pharmacy held a bake sale at Pharmacy Hall the day before the event. The bake sale raised money through purchases of healthy, delicious, homemade treats, as well as raffle tickets for prizes such as gift cards and t-shirts.

One hundred percent of the proceeds collected through the soccer tournament and bake sale went to the American Heart Association.

“We are all proud of what we accomplished – raising $775 for the American Heart Association as part of an excellent collaboration with APhA-ASP and SNPhA,” said Christian Talla, a student pharmacist and president-elect of AMCP.