Oct. 7, 2009
By Greg Kincaid, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Legendary Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno once said, "Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things."
During his 50-plus years at Penn State University, Paterno has built a rich football tradition, making a program grow into one of the nation's elite. His accomplishments with football have been remarkable, but the skill he has mastered in is making his players the best human beings they are capable of after their football careers. One player that Paterno had the opportunity to coach was Irv Smalls. Smalls '94, was a flex tight end for the Nittany Lions. He was part of a dominating 1994 team that eventually earned a victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl. His football stories are endless, but his post-football story is remarkable.
Smalls serves as the executive director of the FC Harlem Lions (Harlem Youth Soccer). FC Harlem is a non-profit organization that started in 1990 that has the goal of building teamwork, social networks and organized competition for inner-city kids in the Harlem and Bronx areas of New York City. As the organization continues to grow, Smalls would like to continue to see it develop into a unique soccer academy that will increase youth development.
"Our focus here at FC Harlem is to develop kids into role models for society," says Smalls. "Soccer is a unique sport in doing that."
Smalls received his bachelor's in administration of justice during his time at Penn State. He also attended the Dickinson Law School. Prior to joining FC Harlem in 2005 as a volunteer, Smalls was involved with Major League Soccer (MLS), where he served as the contracts and intellectual property advisor in the business and legal affairs department. After serving as a volunteer with FC Harlem, Smalls wanted to take his involvement to a whole new level. He was promoted the executive director in 2006, where he had the vision of expanding the program's mission.
Being a football player, Smalls' interest in soccer was not that high growing up. Soccer was the first sport he played as a kid, but he never went on to play it as he got older. While working with the MLS, Smalls' interest in soccer began to grow. During the 2002 World Cup, he became attached to watching it and had a growing interest in the game.
"Watching the 2002 World Cup on the world platform was amazing and exciting," says Smalls. "It was different from what I saw here in the United States."
With Smalls aspiring to get more involved with the game of soccer and wanting to give back to the community, a friend of his told him about FC Harlem. When he joined the club in 2005, he saw the potential it had to grow. That led him to getting a full-time position with the club and being named executive director.
With Harlem being such a diverse community, Smalls main focus with the club is to get more kids involved with the game of soccer. He wants to provide as many opportunities possible for the kids that live in the inner-city.
"At FC Harlem, we want to provide as many opportunities possible for kids, especially blacks and minorities," says Smalls. "As these kids get involved, it won't only improve their skills in soccer, but it will boost their youth and social development."
Smalls says his experience with Penn State football really developed him into the type of person he is today. He played on the 1994 Rose Bowl team with players like Kyle Brady and Kerry Collins, who went on to have successful careers in the National Football League. From his experience on that team, Smalls uses stories from his football years and passes them on to kids of FC Harlem today.
"My experience with Penn State football and Coach Paterno was amazing," he says. "I like to use that 1994 year for stories when I talk to the kids. The players on that Rose Bowl team were committed the summer before that season and we all spent the summer on campus training. We were a focused group of players, and we are trying to push for the same thing here at FC Harlem."
Additionally, during his time at Penn State, Smalls says that he wasn't used to losing as he played on successful teams. He stressed though that when they did lose, it was how they responded to it and overcame it. He says that the same can apply to these kids that are getting involved with soccer.
"As we are building this program to the level we want, we are going to have tough setbacks and tough losses," says Smalls. "But what matters most is how we respond to the losses. That is something that I learned while playing at Penn State."
Since 1990, the FC Harlem Soccer Club has been 99 percent volunteer based, according to Smalls. The organization consists of kids ages 5-19 that play on competitive travel teams. F.C. Harlem's goal consists of educating youth by providing year round opportunities for playing soccer, whether it being travel teams, recreational leagues, or clinics.
Another interesting aspect of the club is their mascot, the Lions. Even though it is a very generic name, there is some meaning behind it. The name is also used as the acronym L.I.O.N.S. (Leaders in Our Neighborhoods) to stress the importance of building character through the game of soccer. FC Harlem also teaches that a Lion R.O.A.R.S. (Respect Ourselves And Respect Society).
Smalls says that a lot of his job is a message about being humble. He has always liked what he has done with FC Harlem as a leader. He says that giving back to the community has always meant a lot to him. With his efforts, FC Harlem will continue to grow as a successful organization in developing inner-city kids and minorities.
"Joe Paterno has always been a great football coach," says Smalls. "But his main focus always was to create us into the best possible person possible. That's what he has done for me."