Chula Vista FC and Rebels SC have joined forces to launch a campaign aimed at improving soccer fields in Chula Vista.
This past Tuesday, soccer clubs Chula Vista FC and Rebels SC attended the weekly Chula Vista City Council meeting to inform council members about their campaign to enhance soccer fields in the city. Chula Vista FC’s Academy Director, Jose Hector Diaz, explained: “We have been diligently working to secure turf fields for our club over the past few months. Our efforts have been met with challenges, but we have remained steadfast in pursuing better facilities for our players. The City Council meeting was a crucial opportunity for us to advocate for soccer facilities, including turf fields, which are essential for the growth and development of our soccer program.” Diaz continued: “We took a significant step forward yesterday. We’re working closely with the mayor and council members to improve our situation and secure funding as soon as possible.”
During the City Council meeting, Diaz had the chance to address the council members: “We are going to launch a campaign to improve our fields. We are not going to request anything from the city. We are only going to ask you to support us and help us with this campaign. I hope that you join us in this fight to improve the fields so our kids have civic pride and don’t have to go to neighboring cities to play our ‘home’ games. We want to play in Chula Vista, proudly wear our logo on our chests, and represent our community as it deserves.”
Joining Diaz in the City Council meeting were Rebels SC’s Executive Director, Ryan Marquez, Chula Vista FC’s Vice President and current Youth Sports Council President for the City of Chula Vista, Benito Delgado, and Chula Vista FC’s Registrar, Vicente Ortiz.
Delgado addressed the City Council, stating: “Did you know that the City of Chula Vista has 2 swimming pools that can host competitive events, 37 basketball courts, and 33 baseball diamonds, with 19 of them exclusively used for baseball and softball, unable to be shared with any other sport? And did you know that there are zero soccer fields in the City of Chula Vista? Zero!” Delgado continued: “This hinders us. We cannot have snack bars or sell advertising rights for signs. We continuously must rent fields in neighboring communities to host events at incredible expense. Parents who attend these events do not stay in Chula Vista; they stay in San Diego and pay a hotel tax there to those communities, not ours.” Delgado concluded: “Our campaign is going to challenge the City Council and others to find a way for us to get competitive turf fields so we can host events and our children can play here in their city with the civic pride they should have instead of having to play on fields in other cities. Many of our kids can get scholarships to play for higher-end clubs in North County, but they choose to stay here. Help them progress in their lives. We look forward to working with the city.”
Ortiz addressed the condition of Chula Vista’s fields to the City Council: “Every time we go to other cities’ fields, we see that their fields are nice—turf, brand new, perfect. And then we come to our fields, and the other clubs look at us and say, ‘This is where you guys play?’ It’s embarrassing! I want to be proud of Chula Vista. I want you guys to assist us and work with us so all of us can be proud of what we have in Chula Vista.”
Marquez also addressed the City Council: “One of the saddest things we see is when our kids go to play in other cities and play on their fields and say ‘Wow! We wish we could have that!’ We don’t want that anymore. We have the leagues now where kids can stay here.” Marquez added: “We want to be partners. We want to make sure we can provide our kids with fields, turf fields, safe and equitable fields so that we can continue sending kids to college or professional teams.” Marquez concluded: “We are passionate. We want you to be passionate about what we do as well because we are doing it for our city, and we want to keep our kids and be proud of what we do.”
Overall, these statements reflect the common goal of both clubs: to make Chula Vista’s soccer players proud of their city every time they put on their soccer gear. There were around 100 of our players with their families in attendance at the City Council meeting last night. This was an amazing statement by both clubs, which have learned to compete fiercely on the pitch but also understand that coming together when needed will benefit the greater good of the sport of soccer and their soccer families. These clubs represent over 2000 soccer players plus their families. We really hope that City Council members embrace and appreciate the effort that these entities have put in to represent the City of Chula Vista with pride.