ST. LOUIS — Youth soccer took center stage in north St. Louis last week as Soccer Forward and New York Life teamed up with the Missouri Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis for a community event at the Mathews-Dickey Clubhouse.
The goal was simple: more access, more opportunity and more soccer for local kids who don’t always have an easy path onto the field.
Local legends on the field
Two of St. Louis’s own headlined the day. U.S. Men’s National Team defender Tim Ream and former MLS standout Brad Davis joined New York Life volunteers and community coaches to run activities with club members.
For the kids, it was a chance to learn from players who came up through the same local soccer scene. For the adults on the field, it was a reminder of what’s possible when organizations pull in the same direction.
“Our mission is to give children from all walks of life the chance to play this game, and days like this are where that mission comes to life. Seeing Tim and Brad back home, working alongside our coaches and the Mathews-Dickey kids, shows what St. Louis soccer can do when we come together. This is a starting point, and we’re committed to keeping the ball rolling.”
– Nik Bushell, Executive Director, Missouri Youth Soccer Association
Why it matters
The event is part of Soccer Forward’s Community Spotlight series: on-the-ground events that bring U.S. Soccer members, players, alumni and local nonprofits together to widen access to the game. Recent stops have included Newark, Oakland, Florida and Washington, D.C.
The Mathews-Dickey Clubhouse was a fitting host. Founded in 1960 by youth baseball coaches Martin Mathews and Hubert “Dickey” Ballentine, the club has long paired athletics with education and mentoring, and it introduces kids to sports like soccer, swimming and tennis.
New York Life has been U.S. Soccer’s official life insurance partner since 2024, with a focus on youth development and underserved communities.
Looking ahead
The partners hope the day is a starting point, not a one-off. With MYSA, the Boys & Girls Clubs and national partners working together, more St. Louis kids will have a place to play, coaches to learn from and role models who started where they are.
More access. More opportunity. More soccer for the next generation.
