Cemented partnership between Play Where You Stay and the Kroc Center creates opportunities for soccer development.
Collaboration can create magic when two organizations share a mission but have unique strengths. That’s the case for our partnership with the Salvation Army Kroc Center, where we hosted practices and Game Days for our K-5 players throughout the spring semester. Located near the intersection of North Parkway and Central Avenue, the Kroc Center is positioned near the center of Memphis, providing easy access to families traveling to play from community fields across the city. It worked tremendously well, so we’ve forged a three-year partnership to support access to quality soccer programming for thousands of Memphis players. We spoke with our partner at the Kroc Center, Patrick Cephus, to share the story of playing together at the Kroc.
Expanding its sports roster
As the Kroc’s recreation coordinator, Patrick is on the pulse of high-quality youth athletics programming. His staff and professional volunteers provide meaningful instruction for sports ranging from football to basketball and volleyball. But because of our city’s sports history and talent base, finding athletic and invested coaches with deep knowledge of soccer fundamentals and training was tough. That’s when he met us – a team of professionals passionate about youth soccer development who need places to play throughout the city. Our initial yearlong partnership was born: We would provide highly skilled soccer coaches and offer our pay-what-you-can model to the Kroc’s families and families in the surrounding neighborhood, and the Kroc would graciously host us on their outdoor fields and indoor courts.
“Kids gain access. I know that seems small, but in Memphis specifically, the biggest thing you can offer is access,” Patrick said. “Where we are located, the demographic is not as exposed to soccer as they are to basketball or football. We would play soccer at PE, but you didn’t know about Little League soccer. Now we can tell families, ‘Come to this field, it’s close to you. You can come get better and learn soccer.’”
When access meets quality, students thrive
Both of our teams know that having access to youth sports is critical. When the programming is rooted in skill-building and development-focused training, it can be life-changing. The Kroc team works tirelessly to bring in top talent to coach Memphis children at an affordable price. But when you’re paying coaches and investing in equipment to support player development, what is considered affordable to some families can quickly become out of reach. Because of Play Where You Stay’s pricing model, development curriculum and soccer’s limited equipment requirements, families at the Kroc now have a sport choice that is intentional about training and keeping the cost low. Integrating our coaches and strategic approach into Kroc’s youth sports offerings had an immediate impact on families at Kroc.
“Seeing the dynamic change and shift from volunteer-led programs to trained coaches through Play Where You Stay, it’s night and day,” Patrick said. “I’m so excited about Play Where You Stay. To see them come in with coaches who look like soccer players, are real players, and have their supplies and equipment ready to deliver incredible lessons. They add tremendously to the programming we have.”
Building trust alongside skills
We live in an era of hidden fees and rising costs. Many families with young children understand the unanticipated expenses that come with enrolling a child in extracurricular programming. One family at the Kroc was skeptical when Patrick talked with them about two of his daughters playing soccer with Play Where You Stay and shared our affordable pricing model. After several weeks of play, the dad approached him in the hallways at the Kroc Center to share his girls’ experience.
“He went from telling me, ‘There is always a hidden rule, a hidden fee,’ to stopping me in the hallway to say that playing soccer was the best thing his daughters have done all year,” Patrick said. “That’s when I knew. This partnership is so great, we need to do something long-term. Play Where You Stay undersells its value and over-delivers its product.”
We are incredibly grateful for Patrick and the entire team at the Kroc Center. Their hospitality and commitment to our programming have created an environment where joyful, purposeful play can flourish. Without host sites like the Kroc Center, our programming would not be possible. When we build partnerships with established and trusted organizations like the Kroc Center and the Salvation Army, we create opportunities for more children to access soccer and foster a love of active play. Thank you, Kroc Center, for believing in our vision and hosting our programming at your facility! We hope to develop a long history together of increasing access to sports programming for Memphis children.
