This past weekend, Saint Louis University students and thousands more nationwide bested the United Nations.

If the number stands, participants at Saint Louis University’s Hermann Stadium and nine other nationwide locations set a world record for the most people dribbling a soccer ball at one time.

Indeed, all the world was a stage, as the record-setting effort spanned stadiums from Seattle to New York, connected via satellite. A reported at 2,149 people dribbled simultaneously, topping the United Nations’ previous record set in the scorching Gaza Strip.

America SCORES, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing soccer and poetry to inner-city youth, organized the effort. All proceeds went directly to the programs of the cities that participated in order to continue their efforts of youth involvement in soccer and poetry.

Participants around the country dribbled to the beat of America SCORES’ theme song, “I Believe in Me,” which features the youth of SCORES St. Louis. In last year’s inaugural effort, St. Louis contributed 428 dribblers to the effort, the most of any city, silencing any notions of St. Louis’ sporting irrelevance.

America SCORES St. Louis uses a unique approach to engage students, allowing them to become the masters of their own fate. By partnering with urban public schools and training teachers to be effective poetry and soccer coaches, America SCORES hopes to train students in creative writing and leading. In addition, students participate in community service projects throughout the year. Youth create original poems and perform them at the annual poetry SLAM.

While creating household names like David Beckham and Walt Whitman is no easy task, America SCORES seems up to the task after topping the United Nations’ great accomplishment to date.

America SCORES is back in action this Thursday with Fall Frenzy,their annual ode to autumn, at the Medical Center Recreation Complex. SLU students will help teach soccer skills, paint faces and provide mentorship to program participants.