The Edwardsburg Sports Complex has been awarded a $6,300 grant from the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the national model in sports-based youth development in underserved communities.

This grant is intended to fund the equipment purchase and installation of the irrigation system in three additional fields out at the complex. The ESC was one of only 24 organizations nationwide to receive a grant.

“These three new fields are critical to growth at ESC right now,” said Jennifer Mackling, ESC’s Facility Coordinator. “More space to play means additional sports organizations can call ESC home, we can host events on a larger scale, and we can get more kids active out at the complex.”

The ESC was started with the intention of being the home of youth sports in Edwardsburg, but hasn’t yet had the field capacity to host all of the area’s sports organizations. Three additional fields will relieve turf care and scheduling challenges and allow the ESC to bring more young athletes and their families out to the complex.

The fields also increase the ESC’s capacity to host athletic tournaments that will bring teams from all over the region to Edwardsburg. Excavation of the new fields is anticipated to begin later this winter with the help of Selge Construction of Niles.

This grant was awarded to ESC as part of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Safe Places to Play program. Across the country, children in underserved communities face an acute shortage of safe places to play largely because there isn’t enough space in which to create them or funding to maintain them.

Safe Places to Play gives kids safe and accessible areas to play by funding the costs of design, construction, surfacing and enhancement in these communities.

“The U.S. Soccer Foundation is thrilled for the grant recipients,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “Through sports-based youth development, these organizations give children much more than soccer. They provide a structured environment that instills self-discipline, builds self-confidence, encourages a healthy and active lifestyle and fosters quality relationships. We believe these organizations will ultimately create sustainable change in communities across the nation.”

Since its inception in 1994, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has awarded more than $100 million in grants to non-profit organizations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Support for the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s grant process is provided by the foundation’s corporate partners, including Hellas Construction, Kwik Goal, Hunter Industries, Musco Sports Lighting, Soccer.com and Sport Court.