RWJBarnabas Health and the Players Development Academy (PDA) unveiled Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset Community Field, a new mini-turf soccer field at the Tea Street Sports Complex in Bound Brook.
Community leaders from Bound Brook and South Bound Brook were joined by leadership from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, RWJBarnabas Health and PDA on Wednesday March 29th to officially open the field.
As part of the grand opening, a group of PDA Alumni, including Daniel Edelman of the New York Red Bulls and Rutgers soccer players Allison Lynch and Anthony O’Donnell played a mini game with kids in the community.
A collaboration between RWJBarnabas Health and Players Development Academy, the PDA Urban Initiative provides premier soccer turf facilities, coaching and playing opportunities to children living in underserved urban communities. Exercise is a crucial component to living healthy lifestyles and is also a great way to improve one’s mental and physical health. This small-sided turf soccer field offers a platform to keep kids from Bound Brook and South Bound Brook active, enjoying the game the soccer, and away from other potential distractions.
With this project completed, the PDA Urban Initiative has now opened SIX small-sided turf soccer fields in underserved urban communities throughout New Jersey, while reinforcing RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to creating healthier communities.
Current Locations include RWJUH Somerset Community Field at Tea Street Sports Complex in Bound Brook; RWJUH Hamilton Community Field at Bromley Sports Complex in Hamilton; Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Community Field at Kossuth Park & Joyce Kilmer Park in New Brunswick; Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Community Field at Marquis “Bo” Porter Sports Complexin Newark; Clara Maass Medical Center Community Field at Planseon Playground in Belleville.
Soccer is the global game, and as the popularity is surging in New Jersey and across the US, the hope is that access to these fields and new programming will lead to more opportunities from an athletic and academic standpoint for kids living in urban communities. This field is less than 4 miles from PDA.
T-Mobile awarded a $50,000 Hometown Grant to Somerset Health Care Foundation to support the project.