Cleveland Welcomes Two New Mini-Pitches Through National Partnership to Empower Youth Through Soccer
Cleveland, OH – Two new soccer mini-pitches—located at Halloran Park and Lonnie Burten Park—are now open, thanks to a national partnership between adidas, Black Players for Change (BPC), Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC), Musco Lighting, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. These new spaces aim to provide more opportunities for youth—especially Black children—to play, learn, and grow through soccer.
To celebrate the opening, Parks & Rec Director for the City of Cleveland Alexandria Nichols, Ward 11 Councilman Danny Kelly, and representatives from the partner organizations joined Cleveland Soccer Group, and Cleveland Scores for a community celebration at Halloran Park.
These mini-pitches are designed to become vibrant community hubs for organized programs and pick-up games, offering safe, accessible spaces for families to enjoy the world’s most popular sport. Soccer’s momentum continues to grow in Cleveland and nationwide, especially with the FIFA World Cup 26™ coming to 11 U.S. cities next summer. According to a recent NC State University evaluation, each mini-pitch averages nine hours of programming and 43 hours of open play weekly.
The Cleveland mini-pitches are part of a broader initiative launched in 2020 to install mini-pitches in underserved communities across the country. To date, 28 mini-pitches have been built through this partnership, providing access to soccer to an estimated 280,000 young people. Locations were selected based on significance to BPC and BWPC, with a shared goal of removing systemic barriers that prevent children of color—especially Black youth—from accessing the game. In addition to creating the mini-pitches, the partners have sought to connect youth with members of the BPC and BWPC both virtually and in person.
These new pitches hold special meaning for Justin Morrow, Co-Founder of BPC and former professional soccer player who grew up in the Cleveland area.
Justin Morrow, BPC Executive Director Emeritus during the ribbon cutting ceremony.
"The mini-pitch in Cleveland is another amazing legacy project for the soccer community and also a reflection of the greatness that can be achieved through increased access to our game,” said BPC Executive Director Allen Hopkins, Jr. “This is about incredible organizations making transformative change and continuing to impact the roots of the game in a place where it all began for one of BPC’s co-founders.
Through this initiative mini-pitches have opened in Alexandria, VA; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Durham, NC; Fresno, CA; Hawthorne, CA; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Kansas City, MO; Kissimmee, FL; Louisville, KY; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Portland, OR: Rex, GA; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; and Woodbridge, VA.
This initiative builds on the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s long-standing mission to provide underserved communities with access to safe play spaces and evidence-based soccer programs. To date, the Foundation has installed over 840 mini-pitches nationwide, reaching more than 6.5 million youth, and is on track to reach 1,000 by 2026.
“This partnership with BPC and BWPC alongside our longtime partners adidas and Musco Lighting has made a lasting impact for dozens of communities nationwide,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “Not only do these mini-pitches provide safe places to play, they also provide role models through the connections made with professional athletes who look like them.”
The Mini-Pitch System™, developed by Musco Lighting and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, includes lighting for extended play hours, benches for spectators, ADA-compliant access, and secure equipment storage.
“The mini-pitch in Cleveland is another amazing legacy project for the soccer community and also a reflection of the greatness that can be achieved through increased access to our game.”
“The statistics are pretty overwhelming in terms of the many benefits that can come from youth participation in sports,” said Eduardo Zamarripa, Musco’s Director of Youth Sports Market Development. “But it’s about more than just the numbers. Every community we go into has its own stories of youth and families being positively impacted, and Cleveland is no different. These new mini-pitches at Halloran Park and Lonnie Burten Park just go to show what can happen when partners and proud communities come together to create positive change. We’re proud to have been a part of it and are excited for all the opportunities these facilities will help create.”
According to Active Living Research, over 70% of African American and Hispanic neighborhoods lack recreational facilities, compared to just 38% of white neighborhoods. Additionally, only about one-third of Black and Hispanic children ages 6–12 regularly play sports, according to the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. This partnership seeks to change that by creating more equitable access to play.
To learn more, find a mini-pitch near you, and view the full evaluation, visit: minipitch.org.
A view from the sky of Halloran' Park’s mini-pitch in Cleveland, Ohio.
“These new mini-pitches at Halloran Park and Lonnie Burten Park just go to show what can happen when partners and proud communities come together to create positive change. We’re proud to have been a part of it and are excited for all the opportunities these facilities will help create.”
Justin Morrow is the 2025 Frazier Thompson Award from Alma Mater Notre Dame.
About Black Players for Change
Black Players for Change (BPC) is an award-winning independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization consisting of over 170+ Black players, coaches and staff from MLS, working to bridge the racial equality gap that exists in society. BPC is committed to tackling the racial injustices that have limited Black people from having an equitable stake in the game of soccer and society. Among the many goals, the organization strives to advance the attention on human rights inequalities from protests to programs, partnerships, and policies that address systemic discrimination. For more information visit www.BlackPlayersForChange.org.
About the U.S. Soccer Foundation
As the national leader for sports-based youth development in under-resourced areas, the U.S. Soccer Foundation is on a mission to let soccer do what it does: change absolutely everything. Founded as a legacy of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the Foundation provides underserved communities access to innovative play spaces and evidence-based soccer programs that instill hope, foster well-being, and help youth achieve their fullest potential. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Soccer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
