Denton ISD to Host 4th Annual Charity Girls Soccer Scrimmage
For the fourth-straight year, every Denton ISD high school girls soccer team will come together for one night to give back to a good cause.
On Friday, Dec. 8, the Braswell, Guyer, Ryan and Denton High School girls soccer teams will play four charity scrimmages, with all proceeds going toward Denton County Friends of the Family (DCFOF). Denton County Friends of the Family provides services to those impacted by rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence while partnering with the community to promote safety, hope, healing, justice and prevention.
The scrimmages begin at 5 p.m. at Denton High School. Each scrimmage will last between 30-45 minutes, with Denton and Ryan playing Guyer and Braswell, since they are not in each other’s UIL district.
“The charity scrimmage is a chance for us to live out the values we try to teach our program,” said Matthew Speight, Denton High girls soccer coach. “One of our core values is to serve others, and this game is a chance for us to put that into action. DCFOF is a great organization, and we want to come alongside them and help in any way we can.”
The teams have sold T-shirts leading up to the event, and although there is no fee for admission, donations will be accepted at the gate and throughout the games.
“One of the best parts of high school sports is the unique opportunity to play for our schools and represent our communities, and to have the chance to use our sport to give back to that same community is an amazing opportunity that we are grateful to participate in,” said Mandy Hall, Guyer High girls soccer coach. “It's the best possible way to start our season, to come together with the other Denton ISD teams and live out the mission statement of Denton ISD athletics and Guyer High School.”
The charity soccer scrimmages began in 2020 and were born when Coach Speight had the idea after talking with Denton ISD’s other girls soccer coaches, including Coach Hall. Over the last three years, the teams have combined to raise thousands of dollars for DCFOF – and as Coach Speight puts it, the charity scrimmages have now become a mainstay.
“Our players absolutely love this event,” Coach Speight said. “One of the first questions I get in August is typically about this event. The seniors have embraced this event and make sure that our younger players understand how important it is to our program. We hope the community sees our actions and wants to copy it. We get to use something we love to help those in need, and our hope is that others will see this and do the same.”