On Saturday, April 11, the newly-formed City Football Club (“City FC”) girls’ team participated in a unique cultural exchange made possible by DC Stoddert Soccer, the Washington Freedom, the U.S. State Department and the Maryland SoccerPlex.
The City F.C. team, comprised of female high school students enrolled at D.C. public schools, joined a team of young women from Pakistan at the Maryland SoccerPlex for a clinic led by Washington Freedom coaches Clyde Watson and Chris Ward. Freedom player Parrissa Eyorokon also provided instruction during the clinic. Following the clinic, City FC coaches Roy Kelly and Dan Driscoll mixed up the City FC and Pakistani players – who were in D.C. as part of a unique State Departement-hosted soccer delegation touring the area – for a 9v9 scrimmage on one of the Maryland SoccerPlex’s excellent turf fields.
Following the scrimmage, the players and their coaches walked over to the stadium field, where they watched the Washington Freedom’s WPS home opener – a 1-1 draw with the Chicago Red Stars. Several City FC players also joined the Pakistani delegation after the match for dinner at a local restaurant.
City FC would like to thank the Washington Freedom for the excellent clinic, Beth Fine and the U.S. State Department for the opportunity to meet and play with the delegation of female soccer players from Pakistan, the Maryland SoccerPlex for providing access to its excellent fields, and DC Stoddert Soccer for arranging free tickets for the young women of City FC to watch the Freedom first-ever WPS match at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
The event was a wonderful example of the common ground that the Beautiful Game provides for cultural exchanges like this one. All involved were so pleased the Pakistani delegation is participating in today’s City FC girls’ practice.
City Football Club (“City FC”), a program of DC Stoddert Soccer, was established in 2007 to provide District youth with a curriculum combining excellent soccer coaching and first-rate mentorship and college preparation. City FC is organized exclusively for charitable purposes as an educational non-profit. Its objective is to bring together the City’s youth for educational and recreational opportunities, including but not limited to soccer.
Tags: Girls' Team, Outdoor Soccer, Soccer