10/19/2026
Access to sports should not be a luxury for children. It is an important part of healthy development.
When children participate in organized sports, they build strength, coordination, and physical literacy. They also learn how to communicate, manage frustration, work toward a goal, and develop confidence in their own abilities.
A sports team also provides structure, mentorship, and belonging. A coach may become a trusted adult. A practice field may become one of the first places a child feels capable and connected to a community.
But access is not equal. Registration fees, equipment costs, transportation, and the rising expense of competitive youth sports can exclude talented, motivated children before they ever get the chance to discover what they can do.
That is why programs like LA City United FC matter. As part of the PLAYLA initiative, it helps create more equitable access to quality soccer training for young athletes across Los Angeles.
Talent exists in every neighborhood. Opportunity does not.
Every child deserves the chance to play, not only because sports can produce great athletes, but because they help build healthier, more confident, more resilient young people.
P.S. That’s me working with some of the girls teams on warm ups down in Wilmington and Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex last week!
