Fifth-grade La Cañada soccer lover sets cancer-prevention goal with 'Kicks 4 a Cure'

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Paradise Canyon Elementary School fifth grader Montana Labarge, on goal at left, organized Kick 4 a Cure at the La Cañada High School soccer field in La Cañada Flintridge on Saturday, March 4, 2017. The event was a two-hour soccer game fundraiser to raise money for breast cancer research at the City of Hope. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary School fifth grader Montana Labarge, on goal at left, organized Kick 4 a Cure at the La Ca–ada High School soccer field in La Ca–ada Flintridge on Saturday, March 4, 2017. Above, Senator Anthony Portantino referees a game. The event was a two-hour soccer game fundraiser to raise money for breast cancer research at the City of Hope. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary School fifth grader Montana Labarge organized Kick 4 a Cure at the La Cañada High School soccer field in La Cañada Flintridge on Saturday, March 4, 2017. Above, Caden Ring, 11 of La Cañada Flintridge, left, plays along with other children. The event was a two-hour soccer game fundraiser to raise money for breast cancer research at the City of Hope. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Paradise Canyon Elementary School fifth grader Montana Labarge organized Kick 4 a Cure at the La Cañada High School soccer field in La Cañada Flintridge on Saturday, March 4, 2017. The event was a two-hour soccer game fundraiser to raise money for breast cancer research at the City of Hope. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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By Sara CardineStaff Writer

March 9, 2017 2:20 PM PT

Paradise Canyon Elementary fifth-grader Montana LaBarge got a taste of philanthropy in action this Saturday when she single-handedly hosted “Kicks 4 a Cure,” a soccer tournament benefiting City of Hope.

The 11-year-old takes a Young Social Entrepreneurs program operated through School-X, a local nonprofit that teaches students to develop a product or service and put it before the marketplace.

A member of L.A. Premier Futbol Club, LaBarge said her love of the sport and dad Mark’s work as a cancer researcher at City of Hope inspired Kicks 4 a Cure.

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“I really love soccer, and I admire my dad because he helps save lives every day,” she said, explaining how she sold club-donated jerseys to fund the event.

The young entrepreneur secured the La Cañada High School playing field and asked state Sen. Anthony Portantino to referee. City of Hope provided a Web platform that collected $2,300 in donations, and another $190 came in on tournament day, said mom Jenny Wang.

LaBarge said she hopes the money helps prevent cancer. As for a future in philanthropy?

“It’s definitely something I want to do,” she said. “Although it was a lot of work, it was a lot of fun too.”

Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine

Fifth-grade La Cañada soccer lover sets cancer-prevention goal with ‘Kicks 4 a Cure’