At a recent LeagueApps Live panel, the U.S. Soccer Foundation leadership team spoke about their collective goals, and the programming they are creating in order to reach those goals.

The implementation of programs like Soccer for Success and the roll-out of initiatives like Safe Space to Play aligns closely with LeagueApps mission as a company to make sports happen for youth participants. The Foundation’s goal of having one million participants in their programming by the 2026 World Cup caught our eye. But their most innovative and ambitious announcement was without a doubt their “mini pitch” gameplan. They’ll be creating 1,000 play spaces across the nation in the next eight years to encourage youth participation and healthy activity.

In this week’s episode of “Sideline Data” we sat down with Alex Bard, the Grants & Compliance Manager for the U.S. Soccer Foundation, to discuss how 50 of those mini pitches are sprouting up right in our backyard.