For Alex Barron, the club\u2019s director of partnerships and business development, a love for soccer is intrinsic to his heritage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was born in Mexico and in Mexico, everybody has a favorite team,\u201d Barron told KRIS 6. \u201cSoccer is running through our veins. We can play on every corner.” He continued, “Since I was a little child, having many, many cousins, I had to play. That was the only entertainment we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than a sport: Corpus Christi Football Club embraces the game and heritage<\/p>\n
Barron, who has worked in football for 18 years, believes the new USL professional team and the stadium under construction will have a \u201chuge impact\u201d on the city by \u201cdeveloping new talent to bring families together and showing what one single sport can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manuel Iwabuchi, the director of coaching for the Corpus Christi FC Academy and the USL2 head coach, echoed the sentiment that soccer is a cornerstone of community and family life.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy passion since I was young, my culture, my heritage, like my family, it\u2019s always been something that has been around,\u201d Iwabuchi said. \u201cEvery weekend we were watching games, we would have birthdays and we have barbecues. There\u2019s always a game on TV.\u201d<\/p>\n
For him, the club represents \u201copportunity,\u201d a theme he returned to repeatedly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s given me a platform to explore collegiate jobs as a coach, explore semi-pro jobs as a coach, and hopefully in the future explore professional jobs as a coach,\u201d Iwabuchi said. \u201cI think that symbolizes to the community. It\u2019s a beacon of opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marisa Trevino, the director of operations, shared a personal story of how soccer served as an emotional outlet during her childhood.<\/p>\n
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Adam Beam<\/p>\n
On the sidelines of the Coprus Christi Football Club’s new complex on Old Brownsville Rd.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up with a sick mom and soccer was my way to get out and kind of work through my frustration as a kid who had a mom battling an illness,\u201d Trevino said. \u201cI think soccer is just an all-around sport that helps kids emotionally, physically, and mentally.\u201d<\/p>\n
She emphasized the importance of the new professional team providing local role models for the city\u2019s youth.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo matter what your background is, watching professional players is always the best way to learn,\u201d Trevino said. \u201cThese players are gonna be going out into the community, getting to know our kids, being role models, training, teaching, anything that\u2019s positive, they\u2019ll be there for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The club is currently building a new multi-purpose sports complex that will feature seven fields and a new stadium. The team is also taking ticket deposits for the inaugural professional season. \u201cYou want to buy those ticket deposits now because you want to make sure one that you\u2019re in shaded seating, and 2, that you actually end up with a seat,\u201d Trevino advised.<\/p>\n
Barron extended an invitation to the community: \u201cIf you wanna have fun, cheer for us, and be a part of what we\u2019re building, we definitely welcome you, we welcome everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
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