More than a Mini-Pitch: Empowering Youth Through Access to Sports

The celebratory event brought together Northeast High students, families and Netspend team members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a band and performance, and of course, an afternoon of soccer. Students also got to meet Damian Las and Jon Gallagher, Austin FC players, who signed autographs, took photos and joined the students on the pitch to play soccer. 

Netspend’s Sara Walsh, Director, Marketing Strategy, attended the event and shared her thoughts on the cause. "It's more than just a mini-pitch. It's about creating safe, fun spaces for kids to play and connect —something every kid deserves.”  

This is the first mini-pitch that Netspend has helped install in the Austin community in partnership with Austin FC. This initiative is part of Netspend’s long-standing commitment to supporting the communities where its customers live, work and contribute. 

"Giving back to the community is a key tenant of our overall mission and a top priority for our team members. The new mini-pitch will enable these students and families to have fun, stay active and remain healthy," said Kelley C. Knutson, President of Netspend.

A big thank you to the 4ATX Foundation and the U.S. Soccer Foundation for helping transform an underused space into a state-of-the-art mini-pitch and Northeast High students, teachers and families for joining us for a fantastic day.