It’s not news that soccer is embedded deeply in California’s roots. But when you hear that statement, what parts of the California map are highlighted in your mind's eye? Probably Los Angeles, birthplace of Alex Morgan and Christen Press, and the Bay Area, where both played collegiate? Maybe San Diego, with it’s proud Latino population, who brought their loyalties and passions in a suitcase when their families immigrated to the US?

I invite you to open your eyes to the rest of the state, specifically the Central Valley.

Sometimes ironically stated as the Breadbasket of the World, the Central Valley is the fifth largest supplier in the world of food and agriculture and supplies the US with 1/4 of its food, including 40% of its fruits, nuts, and other table foods. They produce almonds, fruits, and many dairy products there, but you know what else we have, ready for the picking?

Talent.

Yes, and we’re ready for the rest of the world to take notice.

I’m actually from Turlock, California, a decently-sized town on Highway 99, in between Sacramento and Fresno, with a population of 72,000. We’re most known for being the hometown of Colin Kaepernick, who played football at Pitman High School.

And someday, a daughter of Turlock will play for the USWNT and put us on the soccer map. And that player might start her journey with Academica SC.

Today, Academica SC announced that the WPSL is coming to Turlock, California. And last week, I got the chance to talk to Michael Rocha, Academica SC’s GM.

“So, [bringing in a WPSL team] was always something we wanted to do probably since we talked about even going to NPSL,” he said, when I inquired about the why. “Of course, we wanted to raise the level for the men's game and also raise the level for the women's game as well and we always wanted to provide a competitive team just like we do for the men.”

I played recreationally and then club in Turlock, all of which have been integrated into Academica Juniors. This allows for more organization and cooperation, so as best to offer solid pipelines for players. Rocha specifically oversees the first teams - the NPSL and WPSL teams - but he’s very aware of the talent that’s overflowing in the 209, ready to find an outlet that he hopes the WPSL team will provide.

Rocha says the next steps are to fill out the coaching staff and then they’ll hold tryouts. Anyone from the 209 is invited, an area code that extends past Turlock’s borders.

“For the women’s side, we feel like our 209 area is loaded with talent, but there hasn’t been a team that women had the opportunity to go and play on and represent their communities and play for family and friends here so close to home,” he stated passionately, on our call.

Family.

Academica Soccer Club is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. It started originally many years ago, when some young fans of the game would get out of church with their families and want to play with their friends while the adults mingled. It quickly became a weekly league where teams traveled to play other teams all around California.

Fast forward to today and the Academica family is changing the game for the town I once called home. They have their own facilities so the senior teams don’t have to share with a high school or college team, which affords them more flexibility to schedule trainings and games, with the latter hopefully being double headers that the community can make a fun day of. They have strong relationships with all the local colleges’ soccer programs, and they’re active in the community. Academica is putting Turlock on the soccer map for college coaches and maybe even professional club coaches someday, which means the next Crystal Dunn or Catarina Macario may be playing in a Juniors team as you read this sentence.

I probably played soccer on every patch of grass in that town, dreaming of playing in the Olympics someday like Abby Wambach, whose poster I had on my wall. But that dream died quickly when I had no one telling me it was possible. People like Michael are thankfully there today, telling young boys and girls from Turlock it is.

And someday, some kid with boots and a ball in hand will glance at a poster of someone who once called Turlock home too as they run out the door to practice, and they’ll dream of being just like them.

- Lis Schendel