On Tuesday, September 10, some soccer superstars-in-training were in for quite a treat at the Chelsea Waterside Field. During what the kids expected to be a routine practice, soccer legend Brandi Chastain made an all-star guest appearance. Teaming up with Merck Consumer Care’s Active Family Project, Chastain—a member of World Cup and Olympic Medal-winning U.S. women’s soccer teams—spent over an hour running around enthusiastically with the young players, who managed to show off some fancy footwork of their own.
The sunny September event, a kick-off celebration for Youth Soccer Month, was part of U.S. Youth Soccer’s “Play For A Change” initiative that encourages families to live active lifestyles through playing soccer. When she first found out about “Play For A Change,” Chastain didn’t hesitate before jumping in and getting involved.
“The idea of giving back always feels right, and if you’re doing something that you love and it’s a message that you believe in, its not like you have to do anything extra—you’re just being yourself,” she says. “I think it’s important for families to play together. That’s how I grew up—I have tremendous memories of the moments when my parents were on the sidelines.”
As a mother of two, Chastain is certainly upholding her family’s tradition of hands-on parenting when it comes to sports. From riding scooters to swimming and skateboarding, it seems rare that the woman responsible for that iconic game-winning kick at the 1999 World Cup would turn down any opportunity for family fun. “For me, there are no obstacles for exercise or activity. I think it’s like having to cook dinner everyday—you know you have to be creative and you have to sometimes be able to think outside of your comfort zone, but there are so many wonderful opportunities here. Even in a big city where space is not easy to find, there are still ways to make it happen,” she says.
And from Chastain’s experience, the more the whole family gets involved, the better—and parental lack of experience is no excuse to sit out. “I would encourage parents to let go of the ‘I didn’t grow up playing this’ or ‘I didn’t learn how to do that.’ My dad became my soccer coach when I was 8 years old—he didn’t know anything about soccer. We went to the library, we got a book, we watched videos, and we learned together—and then he was my coach until I was 16 years old,” she says.
In addition to promoting soccer for families, the Active Family Project is making a positive change in the lives of those who are less fortunate. Equipment-filled soccer kits will be delivered to kids in under-served communities so all families have the opportunity to experience the many joys and benefits of soccer. After all, as Chastain points out, the sport has a lot to offer. “It’s fun and it makes you feel good because it’s active, so it’s a win-win situation,” she says.
