Salt Lake’s second free street soccer court opens in Sugar House Park
Nov 11, 2023, 8:00 AM | Updated: 10:45 am
Free the Game's new street soccer court at Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City. (Free the Game)
(Free the Game)
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake-based non-profit that aims to make soccer free for all opened its second street soccer court in Sugar House Park on Friday.
Free the Game‘s first court in Sherwood Park was completed just a little over a month ago. Now the group is continuing its mission to give everyone access to the game of soccer regardless of their situation.
The second court, donated to Sugar House Park, is at 1330 East 2100 South. According to Free the Game’s website, it’s the fifth court the organization has built.
The founders at Free The Game played in Major League Soccer themselves. Their mission is reflected in the name of their organization. Board member and retired Real Salt Lake Defender Taylor Peay hopes all age groups and walks of life will benefit from having a space to play and hone their skills.
“Every court that we build we want it to be open to everyone so everyone can get the enjoyment of playing,” he said. “Those kids can play with older brothers and sisters or their grandma can play with her grandchildren — that’s what we want.”
Peay was raised in Utah by his single mom who did her best to support his passion. He grew up in the area and wished a free street court was around when he was a kid. So, the mission is personal to him.
“I grew up playing in our carport. I had a wall and I just went out and played,” Peay said. “If I had the opportunity or the access to a court like this, I would have spent hours, hours on it, man.”
Free the Game’s goal is to build 20 courts by 2026.
