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A decline in youth participation in organized sports disproportionately affects low-income and underserved communities, where financial barriers often limit access to structured athletic programs, according to a 2022 report from the Aspen Institute. Recognizing this challenge, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s STEM Center and Student Athletes Leading Tomorrow (SALT) have launched Cougar KickBots, an innovative program merging soccer, robotics, and life skills to provide students with valuable opportunities for growth.

Founded in 2019, SALT is an Alton-area sports-based youth development organization dedicated to supporting underserved communities. Through Cougar KickBots, SIUE and SALT take a cross-disciplinary approach, integrating physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development into a hands-on program. Using LEGO robotics kits and Databot data loggers, students explore scientific concepts such as angles, momentum, and velocity, and apply these principles to both robot programming and soccer gameplay.

Weekly sessions, led by SIUE instructors and student-athletes, enhance students' soccer abilities while fostering robotics and computational thinking skills. The program cultivates critical thinking, creativity, and perseverance, preparing students for academic success and future careers in fields such as sports science, engineering, and robotics.

“We have lots of strengths at SIUE—our robotics program at the STEM Center is amazing, our men’s and women’s soccer program is amazing,” said Andreia Dexheimer, PhD, assistant research professor at the Center for STEM Research. “Kids think that those things are polar opposites. You can like sports and be good at sports, and you can like STEM and be good at that, too. And you can get a job where you combine your love of sports with STEM. You can learn computational thinking through a robotics program and apply that to your future.”

Dexheimer added, “We’re thinking about the whole child. We can show them good mentors like our student-athletes, good physical activity, which is beneficial for the rest of their life, and show that those things are not opposites to science and technology. They're actually complementary.”

To prepare SIUE student-athletes for their mentorship roles, a U.S. Soccer Foundation Coach-Mentor Training was held with the men’s and women’s soccer team on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at SIUE’s Science East Building.

Led by Taidgh Simpson, a U.S. Soccer Foundation facilitator, the session addressed challenges children face, such as stress, peer pressure, and food insecurity, and how these factors can manifest in “sideways” or undesirable behaviors. Simpson emphasized the importance of understanding these issues rather than taking children’s actions personally, advocating for a compassionate and patient approach to mentoring. Participants explored inclusive coaching techniques, goal-setting for life skills, the power of kindness, and an array of “personal superpowers” defined by Simpson and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. The student-athletes reflected on their strengths as mentors, considering how they could positively influence the middle school students with whom they will be working. The Bronze Boot game was even highlighted as a way to build connections between young athletes and their mentors, reinforcing a sense of community and personal growth.

SIUE’s STEM Center serves as a regional hub for STEM education, engaging more than 6,000 learners annually through hands-on outreach programs. With expertise in robotics education, professional development for educators, and youth mentorship, the Center has a long history of leading initiatives that connect STEM fields with real-world applications. 

Damian Jones, SALT’s founder, successfully partnered with the U.S. Soccer Foundation in 2022 to establish a miniature pitch near Alton Middle School, creating a safe space for local youth to play soccer and access educational programs.

“As student-athletes participating in this service-learning program, you will gain valuable skills like leadership, communication and community engagement while serving as ambassadors for SIUE,” said Jones. “This program offers a win-win opportunity: by volunteering, you help local kids learn about sports and science. In return, you develop professional skills useful in your future, whether that’s coaching, teaching, or even parenting.”

This spring, Cougar KickBots will pilot the partnership at Alton Middle School, running from March 19 to April 30, with sessions held on Wednesdays from 3:30-5 p.m. The program provides students with opportunities to build both technical and emotional skills while bridging the gap between sports and STEM education. 

Emily Wonnacott-Stanley, STEM Center’s community engagement coordinator, emphasized the program’s focus on social impact, community engagement, and active learning. She highlighted the long-term value of skills gained through mentorship programs in coaching, teaching and personal development.

By combining robotics and athletics, Cougar KickBots lays the foundation for student-athletes and local youth to develop critical life skills. The program builds a holistic network of community that Alton Middle Schoolers can value—one kick, one robot, and one student at a time.

For more insight into Cougar KickBots, watch or listen to Emily Wonnacott-Stanley and Damian Jones discuss the program on the RiverBender.com Daily Show.

PHOTO: Volunteers from the SIUE 2024-2025 Men’s and Women’s Soccer Team