On Saturday, June 10, 4ATX Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Austin FC, hosted the second edition of the Retas Cup Invitational, a single-day soccer tournament for eight teams of young players from Central Texas high schools. Split into two groups of four, each team was guaranteed three games, with a semifinal, third place match, and final taking place following the group stages. Matches took place at 4ATX Foundation’s mini-pitch at Northeast Early College High School in Austin and were free to enter for all participants. The event included food, music, and of course, fútbol.
The Retas Cup offers a chance for people to represent their communities, be proud of their neighborhood, and meet others from around the city. In addition, players learned about leadership opportunities, such as the Q2 Verde Youth Leadership Academy, that launched last fall.
This year’s round-robin style tournament included students from Del Valle, Manor, Eastside, Travis, Connally, Northeast, Anderson, and Navarro High Schools, with Travis Early College High School emerging victorious. Off the pitch, DJ Manolo Black, local barbershops, local street vendors, were all in attendance, as well as students and their families from 4ATX Foundation’s Verde Leaders program. Community resource groups from Austin Parks & Rec, Viva Bikes, FarmShare and more were present at the event as well, providing activities for participants to take part in throughout the day. The event was additionally supported by Siete Foods.
“It is so important, especially over the summer, to provide free opportunities for young adults to come together, stay active, and have fun in their community," said 4ATX Foundation Executive Director Kaitlin Mauro. “Ultimately, through this initiative, we hope that more and more Central Texas high school students get plugged into opportunities with 4ATX Foundation and the Club.”
