The Kansas City Current expanded its community footprint on Thursday, Oct. 22, by officially opening a brand-new mini-pitch at the Foreign Language Academy, marking the professional soccer club’s sixth installation of its kind across the metropolitan area. Executives, school leaders, and players gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch the space, which is designed to serve students during school hours and remain accessible to the surrounding neighborhood after the final bell rings.
Funding for the project came via a grant provided by CVS Health to the U.S. Soccer Foundation. The initiative also saw collaboration from the United Way of Greater Kansas City—the club’s official community charity partner—alongside the Kansas City Public Schools Education Foundation and local school district representatives.
Players and Leaders Support New Mini-Pitch Launch
Several Current players—Avery Clark, Mary Long, Rocky Rodríguez, and Katie Scott—attended the Thursday event to support the launch. They were joined by community leaders who highlighted the importance of recreational spaces in urban schools.
“It’s always exciting to bring a mini-pitch to a community, but especially to a school like Foreign Language Academy where soccer is already so popular among students,” said Kansas City Current Vice President, Community Relations, Ben Aken. “This pitch will be a place for kids to play, build friendships and stay active for years to come, while helping us expand access to the sport across Kansas City.”
Dr. Jennifer Collier, Superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, emphasized the role of collaborative investments in local education. “Great schools are strengthened by great community partnerships,” Collier said. “This mini-pitch gives our students a new place to play, connect and grow while creating something the surrounding community can enjoy as well. We’re incredibly grateful to the Kansas City Current and all of the partners who made this investment in our students possible.”
Expanding Metro-Wide Mini-Pitches
The Foreign Language Academy installation joins a growing network of mini-pitches established by the club and its backers. Previous locations opened at Ashland Square Park in 2022, Central Park and Banneker Elementary School in the fall of 2023, and the Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy in August 2025.
Foreign Language Academy, situated just south of downtown Kansas City, is the only school in the area offering Spanish and Mandarin Chinese immersion programs. Principal Michelle Aguirre-Hill noted the value the new recreation space brings to the campus environment.
“There’s something special about giving students a brand-new space and then watching them make it theirs,” Aguirre-Hill said. “This mini-pitch will be a place for our students to compete, play, build friendships and simply have fun. I know our FLA students are going to put it to good use.”
CVS Health Backs Active Play for Students
The project aligns with broader health and wellness initiatives backed by CVS Health, which serves as an official health and wellness partner for the soccer club. Tony Sindel, Region Director, Missouri and Kansas, CVS Health, pointed to the long-term community benefits of active play spaces.
“At CVS Health, we believe that every child should have access to spaces that support their health, well-being and future success,” Sindel said. “This mini-pitch is more than a place to play soccer. It is a space where students can stay active, build meaningful connections and develop healthy habits that can last a lifetime.”
Beyond the school installation, CVS Health previously partnered with the Current on a no-cost, no-barrier soccer league held at the 9th & Van Brunt Athletic Fields, which concluded its inaugural season in August. The new pitch at Foreign Language Academy also supports the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s broader Safe Places to Play initiative, an ongoing nationwide effort to construct 1,000 mini-pitches by the end of 2026.
