Natalie Newman has been playing soccer competitively since she was eight years old.

The sophomore forward for Northern Kentucky University’s soccer team had the chance to share her love for the sport with children in Uganda during spring break of this year.

When Newman, a marketing major with a minor in entrepreneurship, decided to go on a trip with her family through their church, she had immediate support from coach Bob Sheehan. In fact, he helped donate items.

“Part of being a student-athlete is having a really supportive coach,” she says. “He was so excited about this trip for me. He asked me if I wanted any old jerseys or soccer balls. He had 10 to 15 massive bins filled with old jerseys. He said, ‘I’ve been waiting for somebody to come along that was meant to have these donations. I’ve officially decided that all of these bins have your name on them.’”

Newman and her family arrived in East Africa with clothes, jerseys, soccer balls, jump ropes and volleyballs. They spent the first day with the children at their school, Here Am I Primary School, going between 10 classrooms reading books and doing crafts with each age group.

But the highlight of the week spent there was playing soccer with the boy’s and girl’s teams.

“Most of them are barefoot, and they play with a boulder in the middle of the field,” she says. “So they were excited to play with soccer balls,” she says.

The children enjoyed their time with Newman and her family so much that the pastor, Jackson, still keeps her and her family updated.

“He messages me all the time,” she says. “They’re now The Norse. He says, ‘Your team is practicing. Your team had a great game today. They miss you so much.’ It’s the sweetest thing ever.”

Now that Newman is back home and balancing life as a full-time student and student-athlete, she looks backs on her experience with gratitude.

“I think about how happy and joyful those kids were, even when they don’t have anything. Those kids were so happy every day, and they may not get more than the meal they’re given in school that day,” she says. “A lot of the kids that go to that school don’t have parents. Some of the teachers have four or five kids from the school living with them because both of their parents are no longer living. It made me more aware and grateful for what I have.”