Just before the Los Angeles Football Club’s first home match (and win) against the Seattle Sounders at the new Banc of California stadium, the team got to celebrate with the next generation of professional soccer hopefuls.
In partnership with Adidas, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Club unveiled a new “mini-pitch” soccer play space at a South L.A. elementary school as part of a collective mission to empower youth and communities across Greater Los Angeles by expanding access to the game.
It marks the latest development in the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s nationwide Soccer For Success after-school program, which set a goal in 2017 to engage 1 million children and build 1,000 safe playing spaces by 2026. As part of the initiative, the organization launched the It’s Everyone’s Game national movement, which highlights the community benefits, mentorship opportunities, and positive health outcomes associated with the program.
In Los Angeles alone, 6,000 youth are participating in 2018, and more than 16,000 have been involved since the local program’s launch in 2011. New York and Chicago have also had an opportunity to take part.
The program, led by trained coach-mentors, is offered free to participants and teaches soccer skills and incorporates mentorship and health and wellness to create and fun and safe environments near where youth already live or go to school.
For youth to get the benefits of any sport, a space to play must be close to home, says Ed Foster-Simeon, president and chief executive of the U.S. Soccer Foundation.
“If it’s more than half a mile away, it’s too far for children in underserved communities,” he says. “By creating a safe place for them to play and be active and have fun, they’re learning those life skills that are going to help them become productive healthy citizens.”
Foster-Simeon says they’ve found that 80% of children in underserved communities aren’t participating in sports, largely because the “pay-to-play” model doesn’t work in those communities or there’s a lack of the infrastructure to support programming.
Through Soccer for Success, young athletes learn about healthy habits, and coaches are trained in supporting the social-emotional journey. The results have shown positive outcomes not just for the athletes, but for the families too. Independent case studies have revealed everything from improved physical activity and nutrition for parents to better grades for students and lower rates of conflict and violence.
For more information on the movement and ways to get involved, visit itseveryonesgame.org.
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.