Santa Maria is in need of a high-quality, state-of-the-art soccer complex with space for as many as 10 fields all in one location. 

 

The City Council is currently exploring locations for a soccer complex, but needs to hear the community's support for this decision to benefit not only players and their families, but also the entire community.

 

Why? 

 

1. Soccer is not only the fastest growing sport in America, it is also the world's sport. Culturally speaking, it is also the most popular youth and teen sport of the Santa Maria community. 

2. Youth soccer, from traveling club teams to recreational leagues, enriches the lives of participants and their families. It provides for community inter-action which crosses all social, economic, and language boundaries.

3. Kids who play sports are healthier, get better grades, and are less likely to engage in crime, to use drugs, and make better lifestyle choices. 

4. A great sports complex will allow Santa Maria's most competitive players and its recreational players to play in the same location. It also provides the potential for professional soccer organizations to recruit young soccer talent.

5. A soccer complex would raise revenue for the City for adult recreational leagues. 

6. Great cities have great sports complexes. Even if you do not have children or grandchildren who would benefit directly from a soccer complex, parks increase home values, decrease crime and encourage community participation.   

 

The Problems and the Challenges:

 

There are currently several smaller soccer parks, but they are built in drainage areas that double as grassy fields when they are dry. These areas are subject to flooding and game cancellation. None of the locations is big enough to host larger tournaments and the majority do not have outside lighting.  Currently, Santa Maria and Orcutt soccer programs have limited facilities often resorting to using public school grounds, which are not maintained for soccer games, leading to injuries and field closures. These conditions are not ideal for developing the great local talent in this area. 

 

Santa Maria has suffered an increase in violence and youth crime that has resulted in our community hurting. Supporting a project like this would provide a great opportunity for us to come together as one community to heal and to benefit the safety and physical well-being of our youth. This will exemplify our designation as an All America City.

 

The Solution:

 

Build a state of the art multi-use soccer complex that will allow as many as 10 games to occur at the same time. A snack bar, lights, well-maintained fields, even moveable seating for important matches and tournament play will provide revenue to the City and will attract large weekend youth soccer tournaments and evening adult leagues that will use the fields at night. 

 

Santa Maria is a city on the rise that deserves a great place for our kids to play the world's greatest sport. 

 

Soccer will put Santa Maria on the ‘soccer’ map and make Santa Maria great!