Metrolink and Los Angeles Football Club So Cal Youth Partner to Support Recreational Soccer League

LOS ANGELES - Today, Metrolink announced a partnership to support one of the largest youth soccer organizations in Southern California: LAFC So Cal Youth. The program serves more than 4,000 children aged 5-15 and hosts more than 6,000 games on 40 weekends throughout the year at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

"Metrolink is pleased to partner with LAFC So Cal Youth as a way to enhance southern California's healthy lifestyle by helping children be introduced to and grow with the competitiveness of soccer," said Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle. "Youth soccer broadens the horizons for children, enabling new friendships and empowering them with teamwork and leadership skills."

Youth soccer is often the first team sport many children play and it is popularity continues to grow. Helping families reduce the cost associated with participating in youth sports highlights the benefits of Metrolink's sponsorship.

"A lot of families spend weekends shuttling kids to practice and games around southern California and I can envision whole teams boarding a Metrolink train to travel together as a group instead of driving to games in vehicles," said LAFC So Cal Youth President Howard Fink.

ABOUT METROLINK

Metrolink is Southern California's regional passenger rail service providing reliable, safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable transportation that connects people, communities and businesses of Southern California to greater opportunity. The Agency's 538 miles of track and 62 stations across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties serve as an essential link in the region's mobility network, enabling people to connect to their jobs and explore all that the region has to offer. Prior to the pandemic, Metrolink had nearly 12 million annual boardings from people who choose to ride the train to avoid gridlock, removing an estimated 9.3 million vehicles from the roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 130,000 metric tons each year with its fleet of Tier 4 locomotives.