Pokmon and US Youth Soccer Team Up to Launch Scholarship Contest

Pokmon Named Official Youth Entertainment Sponsor for 2005

RICHARDSON, Texas (April 26, 2005) Quick! Name two of the most popular ways that kids spend their free time. If you said playing soccer and video games, youd be correct, and today, US Youth Soccer and Pokmon USA, Inc. seek to encourage kids interests by proudly announcing Pokmon US Youth Soccer All-Stars, a scholarship contest this summer that recognizes US Youth Soccer players for their achievements on and off the field. In addition, US Youth Soccer, the countrys largest youth sports organization with over 3 million members, has named Pokmon, a market leader in the video game, childrens TV, trading card game and toy categories, not to mention an instantly recognizable property, the official Youth Entertainment Sponsor for 2005.

Because the two properties share a number of core values teamwork, friendship, good sportsmanship and strategic skills the US Youth Soccer and Pokmon partnership is a natural fit and will resonate with kids who, in many cases, are mutual fans. US Youth Soccer: The Game for All Kids! and Pokmon both encourage kids to have fun while they put their best foot forward. Likewise, teamwork is the basis for success on the soccer field and when it comes to playing Pokmon games.

Were so thrilled to be working with US Youth Soccer, said Akira Chiba, President of Pokmon USA, Inc. Because we share so many of the same values team work, friendship and good sportsmanship -- we know Pokmon and US Youth Soccer will make a great team.

Pokmon US Youth Soccer All-Stars seeks to reward US Youth Soccer members who demonstrate these core values, with the opportunity to win scholarships. Kids apply by submitting essays which describe how they embody the shared values of the program; unlike most other team sports awards, the qualifications for All-Stars are not solely based on athletic skill, grades or finances. Parents and coaches, participate by nominating the kids they feel epitomize these mutual values. In addition to the All-Stars program applications will be accepted beginning this summer Pokmon will have a presence at approximately 20 Kohls US Youth Soccer American Cup events, a nationwide recreational soccer program.

Were very excited about welcoming a global brand such as Pokmon to the US Youth Soccer family, said David Messersmith, President of US Youth Soccer. By creating the Pokmon US Youth Soccer All-Stars program, Pokmon has demonstrated their commitment to providing incentives to our players that reach beyond the playing field, reinforcing the fact that there are benefits beyond winning to playing this great game.

Pokmon fans can look forward to new games this year, including Pokmon Dash for Nintendo DS and Pokmon Emerald for Nintendos Game Boy Advance SP. Over 130 million Pokmon video games have been sold worldwide; 40 million in the U.S. alone, with Pokmon FireRed and Pokmon LeafGreen being the #1 and #2 selling titles for Game Boy Advance in 2004. In addition, therell be four new trading card game expansion sets in 2005, and viewers of the animated TV series, now in its seventh season, can anticipate new episodes of Pokmon: Advanced Challenge which airs on Kids WB!

US Youth Soccer is preparing for another exciting summer with the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series and Youth Soccer Month. The 2005 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the countrys most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing approximately 129,000 players on 7,200 teams the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. US Youth Soccer invites everyone to join them in celebrating September as the Third Annual Youth Soccer Month. Youth Soccer Month is dedicated to increasing awareness of the benefits attributed to playing youth soccer in America.

For more information visit www.USYouthSoccer.org or www.pokemon.com.

###About US Youth Soccer
US Youth Soccer-The Game for ALL Kids! is the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.

About Pokmon USA, Inc.
Pokmon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokmon Company in Japan, manages and oversees the property outside of Asia, which includes licensing, brand promotions, publication of the trading card game, TV animation, home video entertainment, the official Pokmon website, and pokemoncenter.com, an e-commerce site. Pokmon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendos Game Boy and has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokmon was introduced in North America in September of 1998 and has since generated over $15 billion in worldwide retail sales. The trading card game, fueled by organized play programs around the world, has spurred global sales of more than 13 billion cards to date, while the Pokmon animated series on Kids WB!, now in its seventh season, consistently ranks within the top three shows for boys ages 6-11.