For goalkeeper Joseph Holliday, it’s more than just soccer. In December 2024, Holliday launched the Holliday Play Foundation, a local non-profit foundation with the goal of helping make a difference globally through sport and support.
“Growing up, I faced different challenges, but I eventually gained a perspective on different struggles people may encounter in their lives that I don’t. This thought sparked my motivation to want to make change and be able to help people as much as I can, and that’s what inspired Holliday Play and has ultimately become my passion.”
In January 2025, Holliday organized a soccer tournament in a village in Zimbabwe, where he provided participants with clothing, food & drinks, sports equipment, and covered all costs.
“I’ve made a lot of connections in communities around Africa, and the first event that came up was a soccer tournament. Members of the village of all ages were welcome to join and take part in a fun day celebrating soccer with everything provided. The reception of the tournament was amazing and made me want to do even more, so I reached out to a few different people I became close with, and asked them if they know of any villages or communities that may be in need of additional support.”
Holliday then held surveys within different communities, which eventually led to him learning of a school in Uganda that faced a lot of damage due to weather. This caused classes to be cancelled at times and for the number of student registrations to reduce.
“When I learned about this school, I knew I could provide support. So, in June, I began the process to have the school rebuilt. During this process, I learned that several students couldn’t afford to cover their school fees, so I paid for each student to be able to attend school this year.”
The school was rebuilt and prepared in time for the 2025 school year, thanks to the help of the Holliday Play foundation.
“Everything I do is out of my own pockets. I just want to help those who may need it and provide a good quality of life locally and around the world. For the future, I want to continue to build different projects that will positively impact communities all around the world.”
For more information on the Holliday Play Foundation, please visit www.hollidayplayfoundation.org.
