Nate Hardy Travel Scholarship

Nate Hardy Travel Scholarship is sponsored by United Sports Foundation. This scholarship program supports opportunities for players to experience youth soccer abroad and helps players travel to college showcase tournaments.

Nate Hardy Scholarship — United Sports Foundation The Nate Hardy Travel Scholarship was created to promote and support opportunities for players to experience youth soccer abroad, and/or to help youth athletes who require financial aid to travel to college showcase tournaments. Nate was a member of the first ever Seacoast United soccer team and also the first SUSC team to travel abroad to Newcastle, England in 1995.

Upon graduating High School, he qualified as a Navy S. E. A.

L. and later became a member of Navy S. E.

A. L. Elite Team 6.

Nate was tragically killed in action while serving his country in Iraq and was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. One of the highlights of Nate's soccer career was being with his teammates during the England tour in 1995. The Nate Hardy International Scholarship will be designed to help provide a player with a similar soccer experience to that of Nate.

In order to be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria: Youth soccer players competing at the U18 age group or below. Reside in and/or have played soccer at the Town/Travel/Club/High School level within the previous 3 years. Must have applied for and been accepted to compete in an international sports event or program.

For travel to showcase tournaments, applicant must have a recommendation from the club director and coach. The scholarship is need-based. All applicants must submit the official application which would require a submission of financial information and include an opportunity for the family to explain any special circumstances (job loss, illness, etc.).

In order to be considered, applicants must submit the following forms electronically. The Foundation will be evaluating applications and distributing awards on a rolling basis. The completed Nate Hardy International Scholarship Application form .

Submitted copy must include an actual signature from applicant and parent/guardian. PDF copy of signed prior year IRS 1040 form. Proof of International Travel such as itinerary, dates, etc. or email from club director or coach confirming travel to college showcase tournament.

All forms must be emailed to seacoastunitedfoundation@gmail. com All applications will be reviewed by the United Sports Foundation Scholarship Committee. Scholarship funds awarded will be paid directly from the United Sports Foundation to the player's club or travel team organization, which will be applied toward their travel expenses.

Questions? Please email nikita@utdsportsfoundation. org As early as the sixth grade, Nate Hardy wrote a paper about becoming a Navy SEAL.

His years with Seacoast United on the very first teams (1993-95) helped him develop the fierce competitiveness and team-first mentality that would later serve him so well as a SEAL. Nate’s 1995 Seacoast team was also the first to travel abroad, to Newcastle, England.

He traveled the world during his eight years and four deployments with the SEAL teams, including his last six months with the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group (AKA SEAL Team 6). He was killed in action against an al- Qaeda suicide bomb cell on 4 February 2008, leaving his wife Mindi, his son Parker, his mother Donna, father Steve, and brother Ben (who also played on the first SUSC teams).

He was predeceased by his oldest brother Josh. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Nate’s military honors included two Bronze Stars (with V for valor), a Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and numerous other medals.

He talked little about his SEAL deployments. He kept his first Bronze Star in a locker at his base, and dismissively told his father: “Dad, I don’t do this for the medals. I do it for my country and the guys next to me.

”