Diego Haro used to hop the fence and play pickup with his friends in the soccer arena at the YMCA Escondido Campus. For years, the space was shut down, and the turf was falling apart, but the 17-year-old Escondido student’s dedication to the game proved that a revitalized space to play would impact the community’s youth.
Fast forward a few years, and Haro stood side by side with San Diego FC defenders Manu Duah and Chris McVey to score the ceremonial first goal in the Club’s fourth Parks & Pitches space.
Duah passed the ball to McVey, who passed it to Haro to finish it. Haro took one touch, then struck the ball with his right foot to the center of the net, officially opening the field for play.
“I go to the games and being next to them was really cool,” Haro said when reflecting on scoring the first goal in the new space.
“It’s really exciting to now see SDFC supporting my community and the sport that means so much to me. Having their support for a place where kids in my community can play soccer makes it even more special,” Haro said in his dedication speech.
On Wednesday, September 30th, San Diego FC, alongside the YMCA of San Diego County and DIRECTV, gathered to celebrate with community members to officially dedicate the newly enhanced soccer arena at the YMCA Escondido Campus.
“It’s amazing. Looking at this field, it’s really cool, and I kind of wish I had that growing up. It would have meant a lot,” McVey said. “I think it is really good for youth development, also. I hope people just go out and enjoy it, but also, you get a lot better, and that will bring talent up for San Diego in the future.”
“When I was a kid, if I grew up having this, I would have been so excited. The kids here, I don’t feel like they are going to take it for granted. It’s going to push them to do more,” Duah said. “Hopefully one day we will play alongside them.”
The space was SDFC’s 4th revitalized play area the Club has completed since 2025, and it is the first arena project. Other spaces include an enhanced mini pitch at the Armed Services YMCA, revitalized courts at Colina Del Sol in City Heights dedicated in February 2026, and the Willie Henderson Sports Complex completed in May 2026.
The Club’s commitment to San Diego comes to life through its core community initiatives: Football Growth, Parks & Pitches, Community Service, and Military Community Outreach. Through Parks & Pitches, SDFC transforms public parks and play spaces into welcoming cultural hubs that reflect the communities they serve. Each project includes art installations with local artists, a commitment to expanding free access to football, and ongoing community events to ensure the space stays active.
This project was made possible through a partnership between the YMCA of San Diego County, San Diego FC, and DIRECTV, but the artwork that engulfs the pitch truly brings the space to life. Aled Anaya is a local artist and educator from Escondido with special ties to the YMCA Escondido Campus. He grew up in the neighborhood beside the arena, and his parents still live there today.
“Seeing this space in person, it is so real. It is amazing. This is my community; this is where I was born and raised. Growing up, we didn’t have these spaces available, so for SDFC and DIRECTV to come in here and say we want to hire an artist from the community to add color and add life to this court, it’s amazing,” Anaya said.
“This is for the community, but it’s been the community that has supported me with my art,” Anaya said as he looked over to the neighborhood that raised him.
Anaya has collaborated with SDFC several times as Playmaker. He’s created Chrome Ball Tour art, a Merch of the Match capsule, and additional projects. His work uses symbolism like native flowers and the “Hidden Valley” landscape to create a unique, intentional design that speaks to the community. The intricacy of the design is as specific as matching the number of dots on the sideboard ends with the number of players on an indoor soccer team. He also works with bright colors, adding vibrancy to the space.
“With my work, I always try to keep things bold, keep things high contrast so you can see it from a distance, be able to read the whole design, just trying to create something vibrant,” Anaya said.
“Today, seeing all the kids playing on the court right after that first goal, it has just been amazing, and Escondido is a huge soccer community,” Anaya said about seeing the space in use for the first time. “I think they all believe this space is transformative.”
Wednesday’s dedication ceremony highlighted the Escondido community amongst a crowd of youth players, community leaders, project partners, and representatives from SDFC, the YMCA of San Diego County, and DIRECTV. Through speeches, plaque presentations, a youth football clinic, and family-friendly celebrations, the space erupted with joy and momentum built for future generations.
“When a space reflects the culture, the history, and the people of the community, it creates a deeper sense of belonging. There’s more pride, there’s more ownership, and the pitch today is that” said Joel Katz, Vice President of Community Impact at San Diego FC. “At SDFC, we truly believe that every young person should have the opportunity to play regardless of their neighborhood, their background, or their ability to afford a program. That belief is at the heart of our initiative, Parks & Pitches, which is what brings us here today. And it is our commitment to continue to create safe, welcoming, and beautiful, colorful spaces all across the county.”
The YMCA of San Diego County CEO, Todd Tibbits, addressed the ceremony and explained a new model the Escondido YMCA – A Campus for Community Well-Being will use with the space. The YMCA is typically membership-based, but here there will be an access-based model to ensure all young people will have the opportunity to enjoy football in this new arena.
“The hope for this space is that the kids throughout this region will have access; number one, they will have access to the sport, and it is a level playing field where all kids, no matter what, can have access and experience sport and learn from sport,” Tibbits said. “Every kid deserves to be on a team, so we want every kid to have that opportunity to learn and grow and experience a team dynamic.”
Founding Chrome Club partner DIRECTV teamed up with SDFC for its first pitch sponsorship with the Club. Josh Stern, AVP of Brand Marketing Management for DIRECTV, addressed the crowd to share DIRECTV’s dedication to creating lasting impact that extends beyond the pitch.
“Our goal was always to go beyond what takes place in Snapdragon Stadium and bring it out into the communities and give back, and we are so happy to realize that today,” Stern said. “And for all we know, one of those kids lined up there will be the next San Diego FC player down the road because of what they are able to do out here.”
Following the ceremony, San Diego FC led a youth clinic on the turf with community coaches while McVey, Duah, and forward Bryan Zamblé joined in. It was the start of many meaningful sessions to come.
“It’s good for development because you always learn something from everyone,” Zamblé said. “So, they get to learn and bring it into their future.”
