Tillie’s Touch provides ‘more than just soccer’ for underserved youth
For some Tillie’s Touch students, English is not their first language. However, the organization’s Khan Academy program has sharpened their English skills and even helped them make new friends. Courtesy of Emma Shay
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When Syracuse resident Dale Johnson became sober in 2007, he wanted to look for something to fill the gap in his life. After watching a segment on ESPN about a fallen soldier’s foundation that sends soccer balls to children in Iraq, Johnson was inspired to make a change in his own community.
“I was looking to fill my life without booze and drugs,” Johnson said. “I found much more than I could ever expect.”
In 2009, Johnson founded Tillie’s Touch, a program that brings soccer to children under the poverty line in central New York.
Named after Johnson’s daughter, the organization originated as a donation program, collecting used soccer balls for children in the community. Located in North Syracuse, Tillie’s quickly grew into a soccer coaching organization, and he gravitated toward coaching the kids because of their passion for the sport, Johnson said.
Johnson realized that many of the children playing soccer in the area were missing essential equipment. He decided to create a free space for players to practice the sport and grow as students, too. In 2025, Tillie’s introduced a Khan Academy English language arts and mathematics program to hold players accountable for their grades as well as their athleticism.
Daniel, an 18-year-old senior in high school, has been attending Tillie’s since he was 11. He said growing up in the program encouraged him to pursue higher education, something he was unsure about before. Now, as a coach and tutor, he hopes to provide that same help to other players.
“The kids may not have these resources at home,” Daniel said. “We are able to take it at their pace, and make sure that school is as important as soccer.”
Eleven-year-old Mohammad, one of Daniel’s mentees, has been attending Tillie’s since last year. The program has allowed him to make friends and play his favorite sports, soccer, cricket and tennis. But, working with the Khan Academy program also made him want to pursue more, he said. His dream is to become a doctor, just like his sister, and a famous soccer player, he said.
“It gave me a lot of confidence,” Mohammad said. “Playing soccer is my motivation to do well in school. Everything in my life is just soccer, but first, I want to get my education.”
Tillie’s features free recreational and travel sports teams, serving hundreds of kids in the program. Despite their successes in games and tournaments, their proudest accomplishment is that every student in the academic program graduates from their high schools, Johnson said. They even reward students with up to $100 per semester for good report cards.
“Around 45% of the children in Syracuse live under the poverty line,” Johnson said. “The reward money helps with essentials — some kids even buy clothes for their siblings. If we can incentivize hard work, I’m happy to support them.”
Gradus, 14, found Tillie’s shortly after he moved to the United States two years ago. He started playing soccer when he was seven, so Tillie’s was a place he could call home, he said. It was also a place where he could sharpen his English, which isn’t his first language.
“When I came to the United States, my English was terrible,” Gradus said. “Meeting new people and our coach, Dale, not only improved my English, but also shaped me as a person. It’s more than just soccer for us.”
Like Daniel, Gradus has since transitioned into coaching and tutoring at Tillie’s. When Gradus arrived in Syracuse, soccer was his one familiarity in a new place. Watching kids like him grow up in the program is a full-circle moment for Gradus.
“I think of myself as a kid and how I felt before I got to Tillie’s Touch,” Gradus said. “I found a family and so many opportunities here, and now I get to help young men find the same joy I did.”
Being a part of a team has helped Mohammad make so many new friends, he said. Going into middle school next year, he isn’t scared of changing schools; instead, he is ready for what’s to come, he said.
“(Tillie’s Touch) cares about me and my education,” Mohammad said. “I know I can make friends now, and that I can do well in middle school.”
Tillie’s expands past the traditional role of a sports team, Johnson said. In August, the center held its annual school supplies drive, handing out almost 400 backpacks of school essentials. During the holiday season, they sponsored over 300 local children, providing them and their families with necessities and gifts. Johnson said their community sponsors are essential to the organization.
Johnson’s biggest aspiration for Tillie’s is to “break the poverty chain.” He continues to expand the services that the organization provides, whether that be continuing Khan Academy for students or purchasing new vans to pick up and drop off kids at school and the Tillie’s recreational center.
“The ultimate goal is that the kids don’t live in poverty,” Johnson said. “We don’t want them to bring their kids back. They’ll be the ones making the donations.”
