West End grandmother Cheryl and grandson Carter exiting the MARTA bus for youth practice
Social mobility has always been one of the goals at StationSoccer - Cheryl Gordon, a West End grandmother, and her 6-year-old grandson Carter take the MARTA bus from their home to the StationSoccer-West End pitch for practices and games.
Carter's mother learned about Soccer in the Streets online and instantly wanted to be a part of it. He has been a member of the West End youth program for over a year. She wanted her sons to be a part of this particular soccer program because it is in their neighborhood.
“This program fits perfectly with their needs. His mother is working all day and throughout the afternoon so I'm able to step in and take him on the MARTA bus which is not even a block away from our house,” said Cheryl. “Then we are able to walk straight to the fields without any issues. The fields couldn’t get closer to the people in the community than being located at the MARTA Station.”
Cheryl and Carter at West End youth practice
This specific route has proved to be safe and exactly what this family needs to be able to attend practice for the Soccer in the Streets youth program.
Public transport is the lifeblood for many of our communities in being able to work, live and play! Through our partnership with Atlanta United Foundation, the City of Atlanta Planning Department, Transformation Alliance, MARTA and a host of other community partners we are able to provide safe spaces for soccer programs that are connected. The bus and train network provides a key answer to the transportation hurdle to so many underserved youth across the country.
Looking forward, we are excited to provide programs at more stations and connect more families like the Gordon’s, who will now be able to also travel to other StationSoccer locations via MARTA and play against other communities.
“The fields are beautiful and this space used to be empty and useless. Now it’s turned into a sanctuary for the kids and community,” said Gordon.
This program means a lot to the West End family, and now that the MARTA bus routes are back up and running, Carter can play soccer and hang out with his friends. If you take the bus or the train, we want to ensure that all children in metro Atlanta have the same opportunity.
Click here below to learn more about our youth programs and the MARTA bus routes. Join us in using MARTA!