CUYS Tours Union Stadium and Watches Team Practice
Today, CUYS families enjoyed an exclusive opportunity to watch the Philadelphia Union practice and got a behind-the-scenes tour of their stadium.
This program was put together as part of the career discovery program run by CUYS’s sister organization, Youth Development United.
“The kids and I had a great time. Watching the Unions practice was interesting. Knowing all the Union has to offers to the community was a real eye opener and it is all thanks to your organization. CUYS is a great program for the kids. CUYS allowed my children to experience new thing that my children never did. The tour will be a memorable experience for us,” commented Christina, who attended with her daughters.
The event was graciously and thoughtfully hosted by Daniel Brown of the Union’s ticket sales department, who asked each of the children about their career aspirations and then matched those visions of work in medicine, marketing, education and the arts to actual jobs currently being done for the team.
CUYS families learned some little-known facts about the Union, including:
The Union grounds crew uses solar panels pointed downward to help the playing field grass grow.
Members of the team playfully tease each other by presenting an “Academy Award” in the locker room after a player artfully “dives” to get a foul called in their favor.
Young soccer stars ages nine through nineteen are selected to attend the Union Academy, through which they go to school and receive training toward a potential professional soccer career. Their academic classes are held in the old Power building, whose parking lot is used by many who attend Union games.
Additionally, those on the tour were shown two large pieces of field maintenance equipment that together cost over a million dollars. “This is a look, don’t touch, moment!” asserted Mr. Brown as the group walked by.
They also got up close to the precious replica of the “Supporters Shield” that the Union won in 2020 for having the best home record in the league. The Union are in contention to win it once again this year.
After the tour, CUYS players enjoyed a picnic lunch on the waterfront and had a chance to play some soccer of their own. led by the warm and talented Coach Freeman Dwamena of The Player Project, who has trained with the Union.
“The kids and I had a great time. Watching the Union’s practice was interesting. Knowing all the Union has to offers to the community was a real eye opener. CUYS allowed my children to experience a new thing that my children never did before. The tour will be a memorable experience for us,” stated Christina, whose family has been involved with the program for years.
The families who attended today’s special event now have a new perspective to keep in mind whenever they cheer on their team.
