President & CEO of the US Soccer Foundation Ed Foster-Simeon on Why Soccer is More than Just a Game

About 4 billion people will tune in for this year’s World Cup, which is being held on American soil for the first time in over 30 years. But soccer is more than a globally unifying sport. It's a shared language, a lifetime of learning, and something kids, families, and entire communities can rally around almost instantly. You don't need much to start: a ball, a bit of space, a few people willing to play. What you do need is access, a place, some structure, and someone who cares enough to show up consistently.

On this episode of BETTER GOOD, Scott M. Curran (https://www.scottmcurran.com/) is joined by Ed Foster-Simeon, President and CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation for a conversation about youth sports, community development, and how soccer is opening doors for kids in under-resourced communities across the country. Ed explains how the Foundation is hitting 1,000 mini pitches installed nationwide this year, and training 100,000 coaches through its Yes Coach initiative to become mentors who teach life skills alongside soccer skills. He traces his own path from journalism at USA Today to leading one of the most impactful youth development organizations in the country, and makes the case that coaches are among the most underutilized resources in America—and that what happens after the final whistle of the World Cup matters more than the tournament itself. This episode explores themes of youth development, community access, coaching and and mentorship.

You can pre-order Scott’s forthcoming book, Better Good, here: https://www.bettergoodbook.com/

Guest: Ed-Foster-SimeonHost: Scott M. CurranExecutive Producers: Aaron Shulman & Kieron BanerjiProduction by Echo Studios

Check out our Podcast: ➡️ https://www.linktr.ee/scottmcurran/

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:04:28 Early Memories of Doing Good

00:10:01 From Journalism to Soccer

00:14:41 Taking the Leap to US Soccer Foundation

00:16:33 Redefining the Mission

00:25:22 Safe Places to Play