Recently graduated University of Central Florida Knight, Nicole LaBosco, is working with the Orlando City Soccer Club to participate in a contest that could help her win $10,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The 2015 MLS WORKS Community MVP Contest is presented by Wells Fargo and Major League Soccer in order to recognize community members who use soccer to make a difference in the world around them.
LaBosco has worked with the Orlando City Soccer Club since the Orlando City Youth Foundation came to her job at After-School All Stars and helped start a youth soccer league for middle school students in the before and after school programs.
“I was a coach at the time and had been fighting to get soccer as one of our sports for the 3 1/2 years I had been working there,” LaBosco explained.
During her senior year at UCF, LaBosco hosted a player highlight segment called “The Player Prowl” that featured an Orlando City player every week. Once she graduated in May, she began an internship shooting U-23 games with the team.
But LaBosco did not choose the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as her charity for the competition by chance. For her, this cause runs deep.
When LaBosco was 15 her mom passed away from Leukemia after being diagnosed twice.
“Playing soccer kept me going through those challenging times,” LaBosco said.
“I won’t forget the time she told me the cancer had returned. I was about to play a soccer game with my team in eight grade. With this contest, I was able to combine the two things that have really impacted my life.”
LaBosco has already moved on from the regional portion of the contest to the final round. Orlando City is one of 20 teams in finals for the Community MVP competition.
Everyone can vote by visiting the Community MVP Contest website, clicking on the Orlando City logo, and inputting an e-mail.
Voting runs now until July 29.
People can also vote via Twitter on Monday, June 27 at 3:01 p.m. EDT through Tuesday, July 28 at 2:59 p.m. EDT by tweeting the following:
“I voted for the @MLSWORKS @WellsFargo #CommunityMVP Contest Grand Prize Winner. Vote Now http://ow.ly/PiC8l Orlando City.”
