Jackson soccer player scores big for charity with free clinic and sports gear drive

A 14-year-old Jackson Soccer Club player turned his love of soccer into a service project for his Eagle Scout requirements. Liam Kohute, who began playing soccer at age four, hosted a free clinic on Saturday for children ages 8 to 12.

The clinic included skill-building stations and a penalty kick shootout for each age group. Attendees were encouraged to donate new or gently used sports equipment or contribute items from an Amazon wishlist.

Photo: jackson soccer player scores big for charity with free clinic and sports gear drive

Kohute received strong community support and collected a large quantity of sports gear. All donations will benefit Leveling the Playing Field, a nonprofit organization that provides sports equipment to underserved youth programs and schools.

“I hope to give more kids the opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of sports, just as I have,” Kohute said.

More than 40 children participated in the clinic, which served as a major step toward Kohute’s goal of increasing access to youth sports. The Jackson Soccer Club supported the event, held at the Jackson Justice Complex.

Jackson Council President Jennifer Kuhn congratulated Liam and the JSC on their successful event.

“This is a great community project for an Eagle Scout project that not only gives back to the local community but to children everywhere,” Kuhn said. “Thank you ,Liam, for being such a star, representing Jackson on and off the field!”

After the clinic, Liam’s mother, Michele, expressed her gratitude to the club and local supporters. “The kids all had fun at the clinic while learning and practicing their soccer skills,” she said. “Liam collected a great deal of sports gear that will be donated to kids and youth programs in need.”

Kohute is currently organizing and preparing the equipment for donation. He received additional assistance from Coach Ryan Monday and the Jackson Soccer Club in planning and running the event.

“The Jackson Soccer Club was proud to host this event and support Liam Kahoute with his Eagle Scout Project to help children in need to gain access to sports.” Coach Monday said.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.