USMNT star Tyler Adams is helping to expand and diversify the game of soccer one field at a time by building mini-pitches across the country. The playing surfaces are made of a blue hard-court, requiring less space and maintenance than traditional soccer fields.

Expanding Soccer Access

Adams, a midfielder who became the first Black player to captain the USMNT at a FIFA World Cup, said he was always running to parks while growing up in Hudson Valley, New York. He now plays in England for AFC Bournemouth and notes that pitches are far more readily available in Europe.

In the U.S., there are just over 53,000 soccer pitches, which equates to roughly 158 fields for every million residents. By comparison, there are 543 soccer pitches for every million residents in Germany and 469 in France. The U.S. Soccer Foundation established a goal to install 1,000 mini-pitches in underserved areas by the end of 2026.

A study conducted by the U.S. Soccer Federation showed that 99% of respondents said their communities were more active after the installation of a mini-pitch and 98% said their community felt safer. Adams is also an ambassador for Black Star Soccer, a platform that began in 2021 to help grow the game of soccer in America’s underserved and Black communities.

Local Impact

While the article does not specify the exact locations of the mini-pitches, the initiative aims to bring the sport to areas that lack recreational facilities. The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s goal is to install 1,000 mini-pitches in underserved areas by the end of 2026, which could potentially include locations in Texas or other states.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.