When thinking of All-Star Week, the first thing that typically comes to mind is a stadium filled with the best players in the country putting on a show for fans.
While that may be true, this week’s festivities also have the ability to bring communities together using the power of sport.
And that’s exactly what MLS All-Star Community Day is all about.
In the heart of East Austin at Rosewood Neighborhood Park, the MLS and Austin FC’s 4ATX Foundation teamed up to create an event focused on empowering Austin’s youth.
The event hosted multiple groups from 4ATX programs along with other organizations, like MAS Cultura.
“Since day one, Austin FC and 4ATX Foundation have been committed to using the power of soccer to create healthier families,” said Kaitlin Mauro, executive director of the 4ATX Foundation. “And when we say healthier, we mean physically healthier, socially healthier and emotionally healthier. The way that we do that is through the power of soccer, the best game in the world.”
Children from all over Austin united to participate in soccer clinics and five-versus-five games, putting this idea into action.
Another goal of the event is to grow the game of soccer. With football and basketball dominant in the U.S landscape, it takes events like this to inspire the next generation of soccer players.
“Kids need space to feel like they can play the game in a safe and engaging environment, and so that’s what we like to provide,” said Pepe Rangel, the 4ATX programs manager.
Tuesday also marked a landmark day for the 4ATX Foundation. Late that morning, attendees gathered around a stage where Mauro announced the foundation’s newest initiative, VERDE Futures: Leadership in Motion.
“We are launching a brand new platform for our most engaged Verde leaders who are going to take their hard work off the pitch and into brand new environments to learn and grow, and explore career pathways,” Mauro said.
According to
MLSsoccer.com
, the pathways and tools provided to these students will be utilized toward careers in sports.
Mauro also announced the expansion of the VERDE Leaders program to a sixth site at Austin Achieve Middle School, a further step to the foundation’s ultimate goal of reaching 10,000 students by 2030.
“Verde Leaders has been super powerful and impactful,” Rangel said. “I’ve been with the foundation for the last six-plus years, and I’ve seen the growth in some of these students, and so our goal for the next five years is to continue to impact students in a positive way.”
The event is a reminder that the All-Star Week exists not only to highlight the best players in the world, but to shine a spotlight on cities and the people that reside in them.
