EAST POINT, GA – Tyler Perry Studios wasn’t the only place in East Point with a reason to celebrate last weekend. Downtown East Point became the third city in as many years to open its own SoccerStation. Which also makes it the third city in the world to belong to the very first transit football league launched by Soccer in the Streets.
Director of Strategic Projects for Soccer in the Streets, Sanjay Patel shared his thoughts with My East Point News as he playfully tossed a neon green soccer ball onto the spotless pitch.
“My family had moved from Africa to England so I was a minority, but when I was on the football pitch it was the equalizer. The two main barriers for many marginalized communities and people across the country are affordability and transportation. So we are trying to find solutions to this by offering free football programs.
This Atlanta-based nonprofit has partnered with organizations such as Atlanta United, MARTA as well as the City of Atlanta and other local municipalities to make football accessible to underprivileged youth in the city. .
East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham was also present to join Patel in a friendly volley of the soccer ball. She spoke about her impressions of the initiative and what it will mean for the city.
“We had an extremely multicultural and multigenerational crowd here to celebrate our grand opening on Saturday,” Ingraham said with a beaming smile. East Point.
The occasion was kicked off by a community neighborhood party that brought together hundreds of people. Football fans and local residents young and old alike came to enjoy the pitch. The ambiance on site has been described as “electric”. For more information on League matches and Soccer in the Streets, visit their website.
Want more information about East Point? Like us on facebook.
RELATED: City of East Point Launches Public Arts Master Plan With All-New Mural
The Model Mile journey begins with one step
East Point is (almost) ready to have some fun on a new football pitch
