Payton

Shauntel​ ​has​ ​overcome​ ​all​ ​odds​ ​and​ ​defied​ ​the​ ​statistics​ ​that​ ​she​ ​was​ ​born​ ​into​ ​as​ ​a minority​ ​and​ ​to​ ​​parents​ ​who​ ​were​ ​drug​ ​addicts.​ ​Her​ ​mother​ ​was​ ​in​ ​and​ ​out​ ​of​ ​her​ ​life​ ​and her​ ​dad​ ​in​ ​and​ ​out​ ​of​ ​jail​ ​leaving​ ​Shauntel​ to ​experience​ ​homelessness​ ​and​ ​constant transitions​ ​growing​ ​up.​ ​Street Soccer USA​ ​met​ ​Shauntel​ ​when​ ​she​ ​was living​ ​at​ ​a​ ​transitional​ ​living​ ​community​ ​while​ ​her​ ​mom​ ​was​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​get​ ​sober​ ​again.​ ​Her mom​ ​was​ ​playing​ ​with​ ​the ​Street​ ​Soccer​ ​USA​ ​homeless​ ​women’s​ ​team​ ​and​ ​would​ ​bring Shauntel​ ​with​ ​her​ ​to​ ​play.​ This relationship led to Shauntel using sport, and particularly soccer, to improve her situation. She​ ​has​ ​been​ ​MVP​ ​for​ ​her​ ​high​ ​school​ ​team,​ ​nominated​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Allstars​ ​team​ ​for​ ​high school,​ ​was​ ​nominated​ ​and​ ​selected​ ​for​ ​the​ ​USA​ ​National​ ​Women’s​ ​Street​ ​Soccer ​team​ ​to​ ​play​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Homeless​ ​World​ ​Cup​ ​in​ ​2017​ ​in​ ​Oslo,​ ​Norway.​ ​ ​She​ ​has​ ​been given​ ​awards​ ​for​ ​Fair​ ​Play​ ​and​ ​sportsmanship​ ​during​ ​the​ ​Homeless​ ​World​ ​Cup. Shauntel is now a coach in the program and wants to help young people by providing more opportunities to participate in sport.