Field Development

Alpac Elementary School Soccer for Success  Pacific, WA

Alpac Elementary School Soccer for Success
Pacific, WA

The first field we play on is in our neighborhood

Our children spend more time running around the elementary school field than any other park in our communities - usually because it's just down the street from our homes.

A single full-size soccer field can cost upwards of $1.5 million

With state and local funding for schools constantly in flux, the funds necessary to keep school fields in safe, working condition can be the first funds cut. 

Our Soccer for Success program operates after-school on the elementary school field and most parents will watch their young children play their Saturday games there as well. By working together across sectors, we can grow the sport for all children through new and improved fields.

 

Leveling the Playing Field


Small fields in urban areas: Converting small, vacant spaces and underutilized concrete courts in urban areas into small soccer-specific or multi-use fields will create opportunities for pick-up games and spontaneous physical activity. A field placed in a dense housing community could service 1,000 or more children as well as provide a recreational venue for adults and families to promote social activities and build community.

 

Mini-Pitch Initiative

Through partnerships with Washington Youth Soccer, US Soccer Foundation, Seattle Sounders FC, and more, we can build more fields like the 20 for 20 mini-pitch initiative by MLS Works that converted a covered basketball court at one of our Soccer for Success sites at Beverly Park Elementary School in South Seattle.

In September, Washington Youth Soccer Foundation and the U.S. Soccer Foundation unveiled two new soccer mini-pitches in the Auburn School District thanks to the King County Parks Grant and MLS Players Association. Be a part of bringing soccer opportunities to all kids in the state of Washington!

Click to see more from our Mini-Pitch Initiative


Develop full-size fields: Free play is desperately needed to get children and families in the game, but we also need to grow our capacity to welcome more families into local soccer clubs. We plan to support field development in local communities across the state through building an endowment to support field development grants to local nonprofit youth sports organizations and their partners. 

Improve current field surfaces and lighting: We plan to work with Federal and State governments, local municipalities, corporate partners, and community-based nonprofits to resurface existing fields owned by local school districts and municipalities. With new natural turf, better irrigation and drainage, or year-round turf surfaces, plus added facility lighting, we can increase the number of hours that fields are usable.

Supply new field equipment to improve player safety: By establishing a grant program to provide in-kind donations of soccer goals and other soccer equipment, we can ensure the goals and fields for Soccer for Success and clubs everywhere are safe and accessible.