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HOUSTON--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--The images from the London Summer Olympics of triumphant athletes are still fresh in our memories, and our spirits were lifted with every medal won by hard-working well-trained competitors. Now, Coca-Cola is kicking off a contest to bring the cheer of happiness to 300 teen soccer enthusiasts from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio with one of the most exciting soccer training programs ever created for young aspiring athletes.

"By bringing the Coca-Cola Soccer Camp to our communities we enable younger generations to uncap their potential and get active on the field, no matter what their skill level."

Soccer superstar Marcelo Balboa and Olympic gold medal winner Shannon MacMillan will join a team of 20 international soccer coaches at the inaugural Coca-Cola Soccer Camp. Held November 16-18 at Tony Marron Park in Houston, the three-day camp will include soccer training and skills demonstrations as well as several workshops and scrimmages in the spirit of friendly competition.

The Coca-Cola Soccer Camp is open to boys and girls 13 to 15 years of age who are residents of the state of Texas. Teens are encouraged to submit an essay from now until October 4 describing their passion for soccer. Contestants may also be nominated by a friend, teacher or family member. For official rules and to submit entries, please visit [ mcr.com/soccercamp ]. Entries will be judged based on relevance, authenticity, inspirational value, and creativity of their submission. Winners will be announced the week of October 22.

aThe Coca-Cola Company has long been a supporter of sports at every level- from grassroots youth teams to National and Olympic teams. We believe that active healthy living should be an integrated part of every teenas life, and the best way to get kids moving is through fun, engaging programs like our Soccer Camp,a said Hector Amaya, Houston Market Unit Vice President, Field Operations, Coca-Cola Refreshments. aBy bringing the Coca-Cola Soccer Camp to our communities we enable younger generations to uncap their potential and get active on the field, no matter what their skill level.a

Partnering with the beverage leader and primary contributors to the Soccer Camp are: McDonaldas, adidas, retailer Food Town, U.S. Youth Soccer (USYSO), and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Shannon MacMillan and Marcelo Balboa invite all soccer fans to participate and support the Coca-Cola Soccer Camp winners by sharing their stories and images of soccer happiness on Twitter using the hashtag #CokeCamp.

The Coca-Cola Company

[ The Coca-Cola Company ] (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, our Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.8 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system employees. For more information, please visit [ thecoca-colacompany.com ] or follow us on Twitter at [ http://twitter.com/CocaColaCo ].