Pictured left: Members of Black Players for Change — a new endeavor to remove systemic barriers to the sport of soccer for Black youth — sit in a circle at an event. Photo courtesy of Musco Lighting.
To those who know him in the Oklahoma City community, Ethan Seilas is a budding soccer phenom. But, if you asked the 12-year-old himself, he’s just a kid who thinks soccer is a beautiful sport and loves playing with his friends.
In fact, Seilas represents more than all of that. He’s an example of the impact that a growing movement to create more opportunities in traditionally underinvested communities can have on local youth and families.
It’s Everyone’s Game
It was 2017 when the U.S. Soccer Foundation — along with partners Major League Soccer (MLS), Musco Lighting, adidas and Target — launched the It’s Everyone’s Game movement. The U.S. Soccer Foundation has a long history of fostering youth participation in the sport, primarily through its Soccer for Success program.
It’s Everyone’s Game intends to build on that momentum by empowering youth in communities that would otherwise lack regular access to quality recreational facilities.
Specifically, the mission is to build 1,000 soccer mini-pitches nationwide by 2026, ultimately reaching one million kids annually. With the help of Musco, a Mini-Pitch System™ modular sports solution was engineered — which includes fencing, LED lighting, goals, benches, lockable storage and ADA-compliant access — as a way to simplify and streamline the installation process.
To date, more than 300 mini-pitches have been installed across the United States in neighborhoods throughout Newark, New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Chicago; Dallas; Phoenix; Portland, Oregon; and Seilas’ hometown of Oklahoma City, among others.
Black Players for Change
This past October, the newly formed Black Players for Change (BPC) — comprised of more than 170 MLS players, coaches and staff — announced a new endeavor to remove systemic barriers to the sport of soccer for Black youth.
According to Active Living Research, 70 percent of African American neighborhoods lack recreational facilities. And the Aspen Institute estimates that just 35 percent of Black children aged six to 12 play sports on a regular basis.
In partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Musco and adidas, BPC will launch its initiative by installing mini-pitches in the hometowns of the 12 BPC executive committee members, all of whom are current professional soccer players. The mini-pitch installations will expand from there to communities across the United States.
Opportunities That Change Lives
At the heart of efforts like these is to provide opportunities to grow, develop essential life skills, and create healthy fitness habits to youth who otherwise wouldn’t have them, through access to well-lit, high-quality recreational facilities.
According to the U.S. Soccer Foundation, surveys show that 88 percent of participants in the Soccer for Success program work better on a team, 86 percent avoid anti-social behavior and 83 percent have improved health outcomes.
The U.S. Soccer Foundation also reports that in neighborhoods where the mini-pitch has been installed, 98 percent of residents say the community is more active, and 98 percent say it feels safer.
Keep an eye out in your community for opportunities like these that can change the lives of young people, just like it’s done for Ethan Seilas.
Eduardo Tamez Zamarripa is a market development specialist with Musco Lighting.