Some prominent names in soccer are in Rochester this weekend to take part in an event designed to build a sustainable, inclusive and equitable youth sports ecosystem in the city.
The “Champions of Change Summit” runs this weekend at the Rochester Community Sports Complex on Oak Street.
It’s being organized by the Rochester City Soccer League, which was founded eight years ago by Nicole Hercules, a former professional player.
Hercules said the league is for city children and young adults, and in conjunction with the city of Rochester, it’s available for free or at a very low cost to families from all different socioeconomic backgrounds.
She wants to make it more accessible for kids who otherwise wouldn’t be able to play the most popular sport in the world.
“We have kids who just want to play soccer, and if they could be on that soccer field from morning, noon and night, they will,” she said. “And we want to create a soccer hub in the city of Rochester that allows the kids to have just that.
“If we can give kids the opportunity to play and give them quality training, give them time, give them an investment,” she added, “not only will they enjoy and love the game and create a family dynamic, but they will thrive on and off the field.”
Hercules said she’s created something special with the Rochester City Soccer League, and she wants the city and the state to invest in the effort, because she sees Rochester as a national hub for grassroots soccer.
She said she’s bringing in local and national stakeholders to the summit to challenge them on the way they think about soccer in this country.
This weekend’s event includes representatives from the U.S. Soccer Federation, Major League Soccer, the National Women's Soccer League, and the FIFA World Cup Coach of the Year, Hue Menzies.
For more information, go to rochestercitysoccerleague.org.
