Fort Worth Park & Rec Celebrates New Street Soccer Field at Hillside Park

The Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department celebrated the debut of the Bank of America Fields at Visa Street Soccer Park last weekend.

According to a city blog post, the department welcomed the community to the grand opening of the new street soccer field at Hillside Creek on March 28. The project was completed in partnership with Street Soccer USA and Visa with support from Bank of America.

This project turned an underused tennis court into a dedicated street soccer field that features artificial turf and built-in goals. Street Soccer USA will lead programming at the new field, which will remain open for free play while not in use.

Residents, community partners, and local leaders gathered for an afternoon of soccer-related activities, including an inaugural youth match, skills clinic, and open play opportunities.

"The Hillside Park street soccer field reflects Fort Worth's continued commitment to innovative park improvements and ensuring access to high-quality recreational spaces for residents of all ages and abilities," the blog post states.

Street Soccer USA was founded in 2009 by two brothers in North Carolina as an alternative to the "pay-to-play" model of youth soccer in the U.S. The nonprofit provides programming to youth ages 4 and up, including homeless families, adults, and individuals in recovery.

The program focuses its efforts on neighborhoods where 33% of residents live below the poverty line and where graduation rates are between 55-65%.

Street Soccer USA estimates that its 92% of its participants improve social and emotional learning skills. It sees a 20% improvement in math and language arts proficiency in participants and a 66% reduction in chronic absenteeism.