At GOALS Haiti, we believe every young person has the power to lead and create change—on and off the football field. This month, we’re excited to feature a special guest blog from Rishin Tandon, a passionate advocate for youth leadership, sustainability, and the beautiful game. Football has been a driving force in Rishin’s life, shaping his determination, resilience, and commitment to making the world a better place.
I’ve been playing football, (soccer), since I was five years old, mostly as a goalkeeper. The position taught me to see the whole field, anticipate challenges before they arrive, and make quick decisions under pressure. Those lessons went beyond the pitch, shaping how I lead projects. Football has always been more than a sport for me, it has been a space for creativity, resilience, and community bringing us together.
As a goalkeeper, I learned that preparation matters just as much as reaction. You position yourself before the shot is taken, just as in life you prepare before challenges arrive. I also discovered that no win happens alone, success always comes from teamwork. Those lessons helped define my approach to leadership: clear communication, staying composed under pressure, and focusing on what I can control while encouraging others to do their part.
Over time, I realized football could also be a powerful tool for social change. The sport is universal, crossing language and culture, and can unite us to spark change that can last a lifetime. While researching FIFA’s sustainability investments in World Cups, I noticed that billions were being spent on professional events but nothing was being tracked at the youth level, where more than 70 million kids play in the U.S. alone. That sparked the idea for YESS, the Youth Eco Sports Scorecard.
YESS is a digital assessment tool (mobile-friendly survey) that uses behavioral nudges as questions to capture, assess, monitor and shine a light on the sustainability initiatives of youth sports teams. With YESS, in just minutes, teams can compare their current actions to best practices that include key focus areas like carpooling, using reusable water bottles, implementing energy efficiency, and responding to extreme heat. Teams instantly get an automated email response with their YESS score and best practices to improve their sustainability behavior. Many teams already do more than they realize, and YESS helps shine a light on those efforts while offering clear, actionable feedback to go even further.
Beyond collecting data, YESS is about sparking conversations and helping youth athletes see themselves as leaders for their communities and the environment. Even small steps like carpooling to practice, reusing gear, or preparing for extreme heat can make a huge difference.
Winning the 2025 Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award was an honor, but also a great opportunity to scale YESS globally and connect with numerous other changemakers. My goal is to inspire more young athletes to become Eco-Champions, driving grassroots change in their own communities while contributing to the bigger picture of climate action in sports.
To the young players at GOALS Haiti: your resourcefulness and resilience are already leadership strengths. You don’t need a title to lead. Even simple actions, like cleaning up your pitch or starting a conversation about protecting your environment, can inspire others and create momentum. Football is already uniting your communities; now it can also be a tool to build a healthier, more sustainable future. The same teamwork that wins matches can solve bigger challenges together.