The World Cup kicks off this week with opening matches starting on Thursday. In anticipation of that, the nonprofit Street Soccer USA is gearing up with friendly pick-up matches.<\/p>\n
“This morning, we threw up the bat signal and said, ‘Hey, if you’re about that life, come out and bless the court and really help us kick off the World Cup,'” Tiffany Fraser, Street Soccer USA Sacramento head of development, said. “This court will be here ’till the final whistle.”<\/p>\n
Street Soccer USA built a makeshift arena next to The Garden at the Line and is hosting pick-up matches with people of all ages.<\/p>\n
“If you look behind me and see the players on this court, most of these people have not ever met each other before, which is really cool,” Fraser said. “We have kids as young as 12 out here, 11 maybe. And then we have lifelong soccer lovers out here. I think it’s just a real example of how the game can bring people together from all languages, all backgrounds. It doesn’t matter who you are off the field. Once the whistle blows, we all speak the same language and we all get to love it together.”<\/p>\n
Ahead of the United States Men’s National Team’s first World Cup match on Friday, Street Soccer USA is giving people in Sacramento an opportunity to play the sport they love, including Lina Jimenez.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She grew up playing the game with her family and is now an assistant coach with them. She said soccer is a passion of hers and that she doesn’t know why she didn’t start with Street Soccer USA sooner.<\/p>\n
“The World Cup, it just brings everybody together from all walks of life, different cultures coming together,” Jimenez said. “I think, at the end of the day, whether it’s a win, a loss, or draw, it’s just about having fun.”<\/p>\n
Makylah Lenz has lived in Rocklin most of her life and started playing soccer when she was eight. She is now Sacramento Racing FC’s goalkeeper.<\/p>\n
“For us, there’s so much soccer everywhere, and to bring it here to Sacramento is just somewhere close to my heart,” Lenz said.<\/p>\n
It’s a microcosm of so many communities throughout the nation as we gear up for the start of the World Cup on our home soil.<\/p>\n
“It’s allowing people to just share a love and a passion and respect, especially in a time where that feels harder to find sometimes,” Fraser said. “And so I think it’s in a really meaningful moment that we get to have it here in North America.”<\/p>\n
Fraser said no matter how the USMNT fares, “it’s awesome that our country is represented, that our country is hosting.”<\/p>\n
“I mean, the World Cup, who doesn’t love it?” Lenz said. “And I just love to watch the greats play.”<\/p>\n
Street Soccer USA also hosts a Youth Soccer Saturday<\/a>\u00a0at their main park on 8th Street, including a Toddler FC for any children under the age of three.<\/p>\n