Local Soccer Academy Eliminating Financial Barriers For Youth Sports

Most parents know youth sports can be extremely expensive, but there is a youth league that has creatively come up with some options so that every kid can play.

They are called the Blue Angels, a soccer academy for everyone, no matter their skill level.

“Feeling pressure of, well am I good enough, do I belong here, I’ve never played, I have very little skill,” said academy co-founder and coach David Arroyo. 

The team started three years ago as a nonprofit to eliminate the financial barriers for families, and the idea seems to work as the teams increase. “We have youth 10, youth 12, youth 14, and two youth 16, so we believe that it is doing something,” said Arroyo.

“It helps out a lot just for the parents in general, it takes a lot of the stress off of us,” said parent Jessica Franklin.

The team survives from donations, sponsorships, and sometimes out of the coach’s pocket, but to ensure the players continue playing, they are hosting a craft fair. “The craft fair works just like any other craft fair; we invite vendors to come in and set up at a local church,” said Arroyo.

The craft fair will be this Saturday at Grace Community Surrey Hills Church at 12201 Ashford Drive in Yukon from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “There will be food trucks, we’ll have power wheels, drag race going, so it will be a lot of fun,” said Arroyo.

Vendors pay for booth space, and that money goes directly to the team, to pay for equipment, uniforms, and league fees. “We’re still needing vendors if anyone would be interested,” said Arroyo.

Making the craft fair and the academy a game changer for parents.

“We’ve never been involved in sports because there is always that financial aspect of how expensive the uniforms and everything is and I just think that it’s amazing,” said parent Teresa Barnhart. 

“Who knows, maybe one day one of these kids will be playing professionally,” said Arroyo.

For information about the academy and the craft fair visit their Facebook page @ Blue Angels FC Academy.