Please enjoy this short video we made for the 2025 Delco Gives PHL17 Public Service Announcement Challenge. As one of the ten finalists, this video was scheduled to air on April 22 during the morning news in the 8:00 a.m. hour!
awards and recognition
2025, 2024 and 2023 Chester Upland School District’s Community Partnership Award
2025 Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency
2025 Eastern PA Youth Soccer Service to Community Award
2025 Outstanding Community Service Award issued by Institute for Physical Therapy Education
2025 DelcoGives PHL17 Public Service Announcement Challenge Finalist
2024 Making a Change Group’s Community Partnership Award
2020 The Community’s Foundation’s “Community Organization of the Year”
feedback from families
“I enjoy the program and what you all do for the community. It’s helps me be able to provide things for my children to come out and enjoy. I’m a single mom who can’t work due to health issues. So anything that is affordable and free is a blessing. I truly appreciate all you all do! Thanks!” - Jasmine
“The events that you have give us time to spend together as a family. Thank you for helping in providing a way for us to spend more time outside with each other.” - Christina
“My husband, Charles, and I appreciate this program and the many different activities that our grandson, Jacob has tried. It has given him not only the opportunity to learn new skills, but also meet other families with children that have similar interests like soccer, art, and kung-fu. He always feels welcomed by you and the other families. A perk for Jacob is going to Widener University and being around where he sees the students interacting peacefully and then dining with SO many choices. He has always been interested in attending college and this shows the positiveness of your program. Thank you with sincerity.” - Rebekah
who we serve
Our current focus is the children of Eddystone, Chester, Upland and Collingdale in Delaware County, PA. Over 550 children per year participate in our Soccer for Success program thanks to our partnership with schools in those communities. We invite all soccer registrants and alumni to attend all Youth Development United activities with their families. Click here to see photos and read about recent events.
What we do
Children greatly benefit from extracurricular activities. According to WebMD and countless researchers, such opportunities help develop social skills and positive habits while improving self-esteem and mental health.
Youth Development United provides children from under-served communities with extracurricular opportunities, inspiring them to excel.
Specifically, YDU provides the children and families it serves with memorable after-school and weekend opportunities that increase their access to mentorship, wellness, the arts and personal development.
Our activities include athletics, nutrition education, career discovery and nature exploration opportunities. Participants also regularly receive donations of clothing, toiletries, groceries and books often supplied by partner organizations.
We remove barriers that often limit healthy options and future successes. In doing so, we hope to help close the achievement gap of children challenged by socio-economic factors.
our history
Youth Development United launched in the fall of 2021, building on the success of its longstanding Chester Upland Youth Soccer program. YDU continues to provide U.S. Soccer Foundation's Soccer for Success curriculum and has added a variety of additional extra-curricular options in its effort to help children create healthy habits and have access to healthy options.
In 2012, thanks to the vision and the stewardship of then Head Men’s Soccer Coach and current CUYS CEO Brent Jacquette, Widener University received grant funding from the US Soccer Foundation and the Social Innovation Fund to launch Soccer for Success in the Chester and Upland communities.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of Soccer for Success in Chester-Upland and to build upon the momentum of the program, Chester Upland Youth Soccer became a full 501(c)(3) non-profit in the summer of 2017.
Brent Jacquette is Executive Director of YDU. In 2008, Brent was the founding Director of the original organization, named Chester Upland Soccer for Success, for which he was named the Philadelphia Union’s nominee for the Major League Soccer MLS WORKS Community MVP Contest in 2014. He served ten seasons as the head men’s soccer coach at Widener where he helped make program history. Brent enjoyed a successful collegiate playing career, having been named an All-American as well as a two-time All-Big Ten Conference defender at Penn State. The four-year starter and team captain was tabbed a Collegiate MVP by Soccer America in 2002 and was selected to participate in the Major League Soccer combine in 2003. Furthermore, he competed in the United Soccer Leagues with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and the Minnesota Thunder. A native of Wallingford, Brent graduated from Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications and earned a master’s degree in public administration from Widener University. He currently holds a USSF “A” License as well as an NSCAA Premier Diploma.
Brent and team are guided by informal discussions with community members, a Family Member Advisory Council and the Chester Upland Youth Soccer Board.