Soccer is called the beautiful game, not just because of the on-field art of masterful players, but also what happens off the field. Soccer has shown the ability to change communities, bring joy, transcend societal limits, lift people out of poverty, and provide an escape from dire circumstances even if just for 90 minutes. During big tournament, we love the in-depth stories TV networks produce showing players rising from poverty. One doesn’t need to travel to remote parts of the earth to hear these touching stories about difference makers.

There is one team in Austin Texas that puts belonging above their records, Central Texas Hornets. In an area that contains one quarter of the Austin population there was not a permanent club team until the Central Texas Lobos, a youth club and men’s amateur team, decided to make it their home with their own fields.

Hornets are a UWS2 team that is a product of the Lobos and local women’s team Austin Flash. The name of the UWS2 team diverged from the two organizations main brands as it was a collaboration and they didn’t want to ostracize any group. They also didn’t want to just add Women to the end of the Lobos team name, subjugating it to the men’s team. Walding recognized the need for independence.

The vision for the club is that it would be open to all women. While college players will be part, they are not the axis which the team revolves around, disbanding at the end of summer. The goal is to play year-round and be stable. Playing will happen in the local women’s league for Fall and Spring with UWS2 in the summer. It allows local women to have an outlet and stay engaged year round.

Belonging, as you can see, was the main focus from the outset of this team. It’s important as you view cultural and gender roles through the lens of a predominantly Hispanic community. Culturally, there can be a stigma on daughters playing sports, many are expected to help their mothers and families. Economically, in a large family decisions need to be made about who they can afford to play sports. Typically, it’s the males who continue to play while the females help at home. Hornets also provides an avenue for women who aren’t going to college to continue to play. I’ve had conversations with youth coaches from areas that are heavily Hispanic and low socio-economic, they struggle to keep the women playing from youth through u-19, the men don’t drop off in the same way. The decline from women u-16 and up is significantly noticeable. In attempting to overcome these barriers the name of a team matters.

Hornets go beyond just providing a team for the women in the community to play on, they look to eliminate barriers: culturally, financially, societally. Financially, there is no cost for the women to play. The Law Office of Tania K. Rosamond has been their key sponsor. She wasn’t able to play when she was younger, but her brothers could. She is committed to leveling the playing field and to what the Hornets are trying to accomplish. Through COVID she continued to support the team. Transportation incentives are obtainable allowing a way to economically get to the fields.

Barriers that are specific to women include children. Hornets provide flexibility to players who have family obligations. Changing long established roles, showing these women that they can achieve more, requires an open mindset with the coaching staff and organization that this is ok. Women can bring their children to the field while they practice. One day they had the men who were there (husbands, boyfriends, the men’s team) watch the kids while the women practiced.

Childbirth is the most disruptive factor for the players. We have seen this happen with women at the professional level, Sydney Leroux and Alex Morgan being the most well-known. Women in the Hornet’s community are starting a family at a younger age, it is not surprising to see women just out of high school pregnant. This means they take a break from the team for a year or two. With the support structure in place it facilitates a return that wasn’t there a few years ago.

Breaking down gender stereotypes starts with one player at a time. A specific scenario: one player couldn’t practice because her mom wanted her to stay at home to watch the kids. She asked her brother, who was also at home, to watch the kids. Walding commented, “It’s ok for the men to watch the children while the women play.” The team is finding out that the families are supportive of this role change, but it was just something they had never been asked to do. They didn’t know.

Being a few hours from the Mexico-US border I inquired about immigration status affecting the team. Walding made it clear that they do not discriminate based on immigration status. Every background is welcome not just Latino/a decent, there are Muslims from the Middle East who play on the team. They have forms and the website is in English and Spanish, when needed forms in Arabic and French. All but one of the coaches on staff are bilingual English-Spanish. All indications point to the welcoming nature of the club being willing to meet players and families where they are at. The openness to all immigration statuses and backgrounds has seen word of mouth spread about the organization.

The team also provides immigration assistance and consultation if that’s an issue. Legalizing a status can be a challenge to navigate the system. It’s critical to do this before the players turn 18. If they wait until they are a senior in high school it will be too late for the process to be fulfilled. They were able to help one player navigate the process, resolve documentation, social security, and ultimately college acceptance. The organization does specific trainings with coaches. They have negotiated a discount with local immigration attorneys in San Antonio and Austin.

This is a flyer distributed by the club.

Racial and homophobic behaviors are unacceptable at this club. They nip it in the bud before it starts. Future plans include cultural sensitivity training.

With a culture that is often underrepresented in US Soccer it is refreshing to see an organization that is embracing the true definition of the beautiful game, belonging for people of different cultures, especially the Hispanic community. In diversity conversations inclusion is often looked at as a key component. Inclusion is not about tokenism, but belonging. Everyone wants to be valued and recognized as part of the team, included in the team not just on the team. Hornets have created an environment where these women know that this is their team, field, and sport. They will get the support they need. They belong.

- Danielle Gawronski