UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's and women's soccer teams in conjunction with the Brady family will host the Eighth Annual Mack Brady Memorial Soccer Clinic on Sunday, Jan. 12 from 2:30-4 p.m. in Holuba Hall on the University Park campus.
The clinic is free of charge and open to children 16 and under, but all participants are required to fill out and bring with them two forms (a Consent for Treatment form and a Liability and Media Release waiver) in advance of the clinic.
Participants will also need to bring their own ball and are asked to bring shin guards, cleats and/or sneakers.
Mack Brady has been an important part of the Penn State soccer programs since the late 2000s when at the tender age of five he declared he wanted to someday be the Nittany Lions' goalkeeper. Tragically and unfortunately, Brady's dreams were cut short as he passed away of a blood infection on Dec. 31, 2012, almost two weeks short of his ninth birthday.
The clinic was set up just weeks after his untimely passing, with the help of Penn State coaches as well as current players and alumni. It was meant to coincide with his birthday (Jan. 16) in order to give other Penn State soccer fans his age the chance to enjoy the game he loved with the team he loved.
"We are all looking forward to hosting the Mack Brady Clinic this Sunday," said men's soccer head coach Jeff Cook. "This is truly a special event for our soccer programs at Penn State. It's an opportunity to honor the memory of Mack Brady and through that we can bring the community together in celebration of his life and the power of soccer to connect the community and make it even stronger. It's our privilege to work with the Brady family to continue this tradition. Mack loved soccer, he loved Penn State, and he especially loved playing as a goalkeeper. His legacy lives on and has established Penn State as 'Goalkeeper U.'"
"Our program is looking forward to sharing our love for the game with kids in the community through the Mack Brady Clinic," said women's soccer head coach Erica Dambach. "It's an opportunity for us all to come together and celebrate the life of a very special person who had a zest and passion for soccer that was truly contagious."
The spirit of Mack Brady lives on through this clinic as well as a special 'Mack Brady Match' which is played each year by Penn State men's soccer. In the 2019 Mack Brady Match, the Nittany Lions managed a scoreless draw with Michigan, while goalkeeper Josh Levine put up a season-high seven saves in the game.
The Brady family also set up a fund in Mack's name as an endowment for Nittany Lion goalkeepers to assist them with equipment, recruiting, scholarships and other needs. To date, more than $250,000 has been raised in Brady's honor for his favorite soccer program.
