LA City Recreation and Parks PlayLA, U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA), LA Galaxy, Dignity Health and Anthem to Host PlayLA Adaptive Sports Blind Soccer Experience for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Students

June 5, 2024 /3BL/ - The LA Galaxy in partnership with LA City Recreation and Parks PlayLA Youth Adaptive Sports Program, U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA), Dignity Health and Anthem will host the second annual PlayLA Adaptive Sports Blind Soccer Experience at Galaxy Park on Thursday, June 6 at Dignity Health Sports Park. Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) blind and visually impaired students will learn about the Paralympic sport of blind soccer and meet members of the first-ever USA Blind Soccer National Team members.

In 2028, Los Angeles will host the Paralympic Games for the first time in history and the U.S. Blind Soccer National Team will make its Paralympic debut. LAUSD students in attendance on Thursday, June 6 will have the opportunity to meet the USA Blind Soccer National Team and view a blind soccer demonstration. This event will show that soccer is for all, regardless of ability, and that this global sport is for everyone.

Blind soccer is a fast-paced and exciting game, played in more than 60 countries, and is the world’s fastest-growing Paralympic sport. With grassroots efforts to introduce the sport to children, teens and adults across the U.S., PlayLA and USABA are committed to bringing play equity and accessibility to the largest global sport in the world. Through the PlayLA Program, youth of all abilities have the opportunity to access quality sports available from their local neighborhood recreation center and join the Olympic and Paralympic movement.

About The LA Galaxy 
The LA Galaxy is Major League Soccer’s most successful club. Based in Carson, Calif. at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Galaxy have won the MLS Cup a record five times (2002, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2014), the MLS Supporters’ Shield four times (1998, 2002, 2010, 2011) and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup twice (2001, 2005), and one Concacaf Champions Cup (2000) since their inception in 1996. Under the direction of LA Galaxy President of Business Operations and Chief Operating Officer Tom Braun on the business operations side and LA Galaxy Head Coach and Sporting Director Greg Vanney on the soccer operations side, the Galaxy are the premier club in MLS, with stars like Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Riqui Puig, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Javier Hernandez and Cobi Jones representing LA over the team’s 27 years in MLS. For more information on the LA Galaxy, visit www.lagalaxy.com. 

About Dignity Health 
Dignity Health’s Southern California Division includes seventeen acute-care nonprofit hospitals and one behavioral health hospital spanning across Central California, Central Coast, and Southern California. Dignity Health is part of CommonSpirit Health and the largest hospital provider in California, delivering health care services to diverse communities, allowing 1 in 4 U.S. residents to access care through our network of health care providers. This network of hospitals is supported by medical groups throughout the region, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically advanced imaging centers, outpatient services, and comprehensive home health services—all with one common goal: to provide compassionate, high-quality health care to 1 million patients in a safe and healing environment. To learn more about Dignity Health, visit www.dignityhealth.org/socal. 

About Dignity Health Sports Park
Dignity Health Sports Park is southern California’s home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. Managed by AEG, the $150 million, privately financed facility was developed by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. Dignity Health Sports Park features an 8,000-seat tennis stadium, a 25,174-seat stadium for soccer, football and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts; a 2,000-seat facility for track & field and a 2,450-seat indoor Velodrome – the VELO Sports Center – for track cycling. Dignity Health Sports Park is home to Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy, the five-time MLS Cup Champions. Dignity Health Sports Park is also home of the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) High Performance Training Center and the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). Additionally, Dignity Health Sports Park is home to Galaxy Park, a newly imagined complex on the campus of the facility that features five 5v5 soccer fields, three futsal courts, eight Pickleball courts, four Padel courts, and is home to a number of other recreational activities. For additional information, please visit http://www.dignityhealthsportspark.com. 

About PlayLA Youth and Adaptive Youth Sports 
The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks PlayLA Youth & Adaptive Youth Sports Program is a city-wide initiative that provides access to quality sports programming for youth of all abilities between the ages of 5 and 17. Made possible by an investment from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), PlayLA is the single largest commitment to youth sports development in California and serves as a legacy before, during, and after the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

About U.S. Association of Blind Athletes 
Founded in 1976, the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is a dual-mission organization proud to serve as the National Governing Body for the Paralympic team sports of goalball and blind soccer and providing sport and recreational opportunities for the blind and visually impaired community. USABA is a member organization of the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and US Soccer. In addition to community outreach and grassroots work with athletes, coaches, and referees, USABA is committed to developing a comprehensive support system, fostering a culture of excellence, and ensuring athletes have the resources to compete in all levels of sport. Our commitment is to provide quality programming and enriching experiences for the blind and visually impaired. Learn more at www.usaba.org. 

About Anthem Blue Cross 
As a long-time trusted health partner, Anthem Blue Cross has been providing high-quality, affordable health care for Californians for more than 85 years. Anthem Blue Cross, together with its branded affiliates, provides health care services to more than 8.2 members in California. Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association. To learn more, visit www.anthem.com/ca or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.