LAYC Youth Take the Field and the Spotlight with Washington Spirit Partnership

Group picture of LAYC soccer team, Las Espadas.

What started as a casual pickup game at Rita Bright Family and Youth Center, quickly evolved into something more. Brian, a 15-year-old LAYC youth participant, proposed the idea of starting an official soccer team with the intent to create a space where youth could come together and play.  

With the support from LAYC staff member, Michael Leon, who is the Director of Training, and Luis Bonilla, site director at Rita Bright Family and Youth Center, teams were formed between the ages 15 to 19 to not only play, but a chance to grow as a team and community.  

“Honestly, if it weren’t for them, I feel like this wouldn’t be possible. They’ve helped us with the budget, the jerseys, and the costs for the league and tournaments. Without them, we’d probably just be practicing,” said Brian. Additionally, as the team continues to grow, they’ve received new soccer jerseys and have participated in local tournaments in Washington, DC, bringing more visibility to the team efforts. 

This momentum caught the attention of the Washington Spirit, who saw an opportunity to support and amplify youth’s impact both on and off the field. Building on their community impact, Washington Spirit partnered with teens from LAYC’s summer program to design t-shirts for Hispanic Heritage Month, themed “El Sonido de DC,” a celebration of culture through art and music.  

The purpose of this collaboration is to inspire youth to pursue their aspirations, develop valuable skills, and build the confidence needed to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. Over the summer, teens worked alongside the Spirit’s content and community team to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Drawing inspiration from themes such as music, vibrant colors, and floral patterns, each participant created individual artwork that contributed to the final product. As part of the experience, our youth also participated in a photoshoot with Washington Spirit player Leicy Santos.

Several of these youth attended the Washington Spirit’s Hispanic Heritage Game on September 28, where they proudly took part in the “Flag of Nations” parade during halftime, a powerful moment to celebrate their heritage and community.

Additionally, Washington Spirit will donate 10% of all proceeds from the merch collaboration back to support LAYC’s Bridge the Gap campaign, launched in response to budget cuts that puts more than 1,000 youth at risk of losing access to case management, housing, school-based therapy, job training, and mental health services.  

Want to Support the youth and Washington Spirit? Click here to purchase merch.