It was a special day in the lives of the Medina Middle School Mustangs.
Thanks to the efforts of the Crew Soccer Foundation and partners such as Barbasol, Columbus Recreation & Parks, Scotts Miracle-Gro, CheckSmart, Columbus City Schools and the North Linden Area Commission, the Columbus Crew organization dedicated a brand new pitch at Huy Road Park to serve as the home field for the Mustangs, who previously had played all of their matches on the road.
"Any organization, let alone a professional sports team, has an obligation to the community to give back," said Jamie Ryan, Vice President of the Crew Soccer Foundation. "We on the Crew Soccer Foundation have a particular affinity for soccer field development and refurbishing. We think that's something where we have a particular expertise and we can help a lot in that area."
Surprise appearances by Justin Meram, Ethan Finlay and Frankie Hejduk along with new kits presented to the Mustangs served to make the afternoon memorable for all involved. Meram, Finlay and Hejduk spoke to the Mustangs at the uniform reveal, presenting the new kits as well as equipment to each player.
"It's incredible," said Meram. "Growing up, having a facility or having a jersey, that's a starting point to furthering my career, for whatever it's going to be. Now, today, these kids have that opportunity. They have a home field and don't have to play all their games on the road. Now they have a jersey, a home kit and an away kit. Now there's a sense of pride there. You get to represent the school."
Meram continued by saying that he recalled similar experiences when he was a kid, opportunities that helped him realize his dream of becoming a professional player.
"I wish we could do this every week," said the winger. "I would love to see more and more faces with that joy, that 'wow' moment, 'wow, this really just happened to us.' I'm sure they're so thankful. To bring out a beautiful field … it's just great.
"You start as a kid developing your skills. It needs to start now. Now they have this opportunity. Now they're going to work more and more at this beautiful game that we all love, the reason we're all here. Maybe they're going to go to high school now playing varsity as a freshman because they had this opportunity here. When they're playing at that level, now it goes into college and then the next step. For us, me and Ethan are here today, we had that growing up and we're very thankful. Looking back, if I didn't have that I don't know where I'd be."
The support of organizations like the Crew Soccer Foundation and the partners involved is crucial in furthering the community, as projects like this would not be possible without their dedication.
"The Recreation and Parks Department has a lot of facilities and programs out there," said Alan McKnight, Director of Columbus Recreation and Parks. "The partnerships we have with folks like the Columbus Crew Soccer Foundation to help us improve facilities, improve fields and support the programs are critical for us to be able to provide the facilities that we do, throughout the community."
The experience is also an embodiment of the Crew organization's commitment to invest in youth soccer and the betterment of Columbus, according to President of Business Operations Andy Loughnane.
"One of the more exciting things about giving back to the community with a soccer field renovation project is that this literally is the future of our franchise," said Loughnane. "With the commitment that we have to youth soccer and the Academy, one of the next stars could be on the field right now. To be able to convert what was once a blighted, unleveled softball field to a perfectly level pitch where children can play their first home game, for years and years and not have to travel for all their games – to play with new uniforms, have new goals, soccer balls – this is why we exist as a business, to be able to give back."
Loughnane, Ryan and McKnight all commended the efforts of Meram and Finlay for giving their time to help make the Mustangs' day one that the team will never forget.
"It says everything," said Ryan. "They're here, they're not being paid, it's their day off. They're here doing it because they love it. Ethan Finlay is a very dedicated member of our board and really helps us a lot to get the player's perspective and understand the passion that they have to give back.
"That's been true throughout the history of the Crew. I've been associated with the Crew Foundation since the very beginning ... Brian Maisonneuve, Duncan Oughton, Brian McBride, they all felt the same way. Justin and Ethan have been carrying on that tradition that's existed here since the very beginning."
