Local teens will lead the teams out at the World Cup
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The finalists for Friday. Photo: Courtesy of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City
Two Kansas City teens will walk onto the Kansas City Stadium turf Friday, flag in hand, right beside the players, with a global audience watching.
Why it matters: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City opened the door, and a free class turned into a spot most kids only dream about.
Driving the news: Alison M. and Joseph B. will join four other club teens as flag bearers this summer.
- They'll carry a team's flag onto the field for Friday's Colombia-Ghana match and stay through the game, where the winner advances to the Round of 16.
What they're saying: For Alison, it started with disbelief. She figured the staff couldn't possibly mean the actual World Cup until her mom convinced her. "I was dancing and jumping up and down on the couch," she tells Axios.
- She plays defense for her school team, subs in as goalie when needed, watches matches with her family and can't wait to see the stadium "come alive."
- A reporter stuck out to Alison more than any player did. The woman was Hispanic and interviewed athletes for a living. "Someone who looked like me and had a really cool job," she says. "She was natural and sophisticated."
- Jason Roth, the club's president and CEO, said in a statement that the moment shows teens "how their passions can open doors to exploring careers they never thought were possible."
How it works: They got there through the Coca-Cola FC (Future Careers) Academy. The free online program teaches teens 13 and older about sports marketing, broadcasting and event leadership, with real industry pros as instructors.
- Finalists earned certificates, while the standouts got the flag walk this year.
- The partnership runs deep. Coca-Cola has sponsored the World Cup since 1978 and backed Boys & Girls Clubs for decades.
What's next: The match airs live on Fox at 8:30pm Friday. Watch the pregame for Alison and Joseph, set to appear on the broadcast before kickoff.