It’s been a tough year for youth sports, so navitend, an information technology company located in Stanhope, decided to do something to make things a little brighter for one Warren County team.

Patrice Schaffer, navitend’s Business Development and Marketing Strategist, recently met with the team, the SACC Wolves, to hand out warmup jackets and to deliver a special message: “Wherever you go, lead and serve others,” she said. ”At home, at school, at work. In your community. Be a peacemaker. Walk in faith. Walk in courage. No matter who you are or what your situation, you can make a difference.”  Being a part of the community is a huge part of navitend’s mission and culture.  

“This year has been very tough on kids everywhere,” said Liann Tirabassi, a parent from the team.  “For my daughter and her teammates, their season was pulled right out from under them back in March. The girls did the best they could to workout, staying in shape both mentally and physically. They also helped support their community by distributing positive notecards to local hospitals letting them know how much they appreciate all they do.”  

It was this attention to community and service that drew navitend’s attention.  Last year, an all-day sporting event organized by SACC benefited the Daniel Schaffer Foundation, a new scholarship for a Warren Hills senior pursuing a career as an electrician in memory of its namesake, who was Patrice Schaffer’s nephew.

“It was amazing to see all the players from SACC come together as a community to help this foundation,” she said.

Anthony DeNicola is the director and founder of SACC, an experienced group of trainers, coaches and mentors that consult athletes within their sport, helping them to maximize their potential as an athlete. 

Addison Wood, a player on the team, said, “SACC Select has allowed me to play soccer year-round with some extremely talented teammates.  It has provided a safe place to learn, work hard with like-minded people, and create lifelong friendships.  We have had the ability to work with younger players in hopes of inspiring them to reach their goals too.  I hope we all strive to pursue our dreams on and off the field.”