Four of the most renowned trophies in world soccer visited two Queens elementary schools on Wednesday, December 6, as part of Manchester City’s U.S. Trophy Tour.
Students at P.S. 214 Cadwallader Colden in Flushing and P.S. 143 Louis Armstrong in Corona had the unique opportunity to view the English Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Super Cup trophies up close. Shaun Wright-Phillips, Manchester City legend and former England international, accompanied the trophies, providing a link to the Club’s history for the younger generation of soccer fans.
"NYCFC has teamed up with Man City, allowing the kids to meet Moonchester [the Club’s mascot]. They get a chance to be excited, see the trophies, and feel part of the journey of a Club they support," said Wright-Phillips.
New York City Council Member Francisco Moya, who represents the 21st Council District that includes Corona, was present at the ceremony at P.S. 143.
"New York City is the most diverse city in the nation, and here in this district, we have the most diverse county in the United States. In three neighborhoods, we have 180 languages spoken in Queens and over 200 nationalities. The one universal language we all speak is football," Council Member Moya noted, emphasizing the significance of the connection between the community, New York City, and NYCFC. "This wonderful connection is made not just through the sport but through the involvement of a franchise like NYCFC, which is part of the community's fabric," he added.
Manchester City and New York City Football Club (NYCFC) are part of City Football Group. The visit highlighted NYCFC’s commitment to community engagement in Queens through City in the Community (CITC), the Club's nonprofit foundation, which has been fostering youth participation in soccer and leadership since 2014.
Since its founding, CITC has served over 30,000 youth across 78 percent of NYC’s communities. In addition to the interaction between the young soccer fans, the mascot, and the Manchester City legend, P.S. 143 hosted mini scrimmages at their gym.
"[NYCFC] came in with a great commitment. You see it in the eyes of these kids. They're establishing free clinics for the community, creating pitches in the neighborhood. This is exactly what you want from a franchise that believes not just in what they're doing but also in the neighborhood and how they should grow together. And that's what we're seeing here today," Council Member Moya said.
Jennifer O’Sullivan, NYCFC Chief Operating Officer, joined the kids and staff in celebrating the trophies and the connection between the Club and the community.
"When New York City Football Club was founded, it was For The City. We're a professional football team; that's what we do, it's what we know. But we have a platform to do more with that, and the community is our way of using soccer to empower better lives," O’Sullivan said.
"Opportunities like this are a perfect example of how we can connect with the community, particularly the youth. We provide free soccer programming to all five boroughs. We've reached 30,000 kids over the last ten years, which is a legacy. It's introducing the game, bringing access to the game to children who, historically, would never have had access to it," she added.
