Sounders and Lamar Neagle help open new soccer mini pitch at Olympic View

Olympic View K-8 is looking a lot different for the 2023-24 school year than students may remember it.

Parents and kids got an up-close view of the school and the new soccer mini pitch that was opened to the public on Aug. 23.

“I’m so thrilled to be here today celebrating this back to school event. … I’m also amazingly excited to celebrate the grand opening of the new soccer mini pitch. It’s the perfect addition to the new school and provides a place for our students to play soccer with friends in a safe and familiar place,” said Federal Way School District Superintendent Dr. Dani Pfeiffer.

Together in a partnership with the Seattle Sounders, Delta, the Rave Foundation and Black Players For Change, the Federal Way Public Schools opened its first free to play soccer mini pitch at Olympic View. The Olympic View pitch is one of 26 that the Sounders and partners plan to build leading up to the 2026 World Cup.

“We want to provide communities with a free place to play,” Sounders team brand ambassador Brad Evans said.

Thomas Jefferson High School alum and former Sounders star Lamar Neagle was in attendance at the event as a member of Black Players for Change and the Rave Foundation board of trustees.

“I’m really proud that I could be a part of the brand new field at a brand new school … This one in particular is very special to me,” Neagle said.

Olympic View students playing on their new mini soccer pitch. (Ben Ray/The Mirror)

Neagle reached out and contacted Black Players For Change after seeing they were building pitches all across America.

“I reached out saying ‘Hey I am doing the exact same thing and I want to do it in my own neighborhood.’ They said ‘Absolutely, let’s do it,’” he said.

“You’ll notice this field doesn’t have locks. Just a fence around it to keep the ball in play. These goals will never be removed and maybe one day raise some funds for lights so you can play for 24 hours. That would be my dream,” Evans said.

The mini pitch is not grass, but asphalt, and is fenced off only to keep the ball from going out of play. According to FWPS, the field will be closed during school hours, but will be open after school until sunset and open all day on weekends.

The opening of the field was paired with Olympic View’s back to school event for families. Principal Dr. Jenai Choi addressed the crowd of families at the event with excitement.

“We are so excited to be back in the community and cannot wait to welcome scholars back to school next week. We are so excited and grateful to partner with Rave and the Sounders and the community, all of whom made this happen,” Dr. Choi said.

Current Sounders Nouhou Tolo and Abdoulaye Cissoko were out and about playing soccer with kids and even led the Sounder signature “Boom Boom Clap” chant with families.

Brand ambassador and former Sounder Brad Evans conducted the ceremonial first kick where two students scored the first official goal on the mini pitch.

The new school even impressed Evans: “This is an amazing facility that you guys have here. I hope you treat this field with the same respect that you treat the new school,” he said.

After sponsors and partners had their chance to give thanks and speak to the crowds, families were able to go inside the new school for the first time. Olympic View and the rest of the Federal Way schools begin Aug. 30.