Hanna Park Mini-Pitch Initiative

Help us build a Mini-Pitch at Hanna Park in Marion!

Join the City of Marion, Kick It Forward, Musco Lighting and members of your community, all working together to provide greater opportunities to the youth in Linn County.

The completed Mini-Pitch will be located at Hanna Park in Marion.

Watch the video to hear what Anna Tuuri, a local player, referee and soccer advocate, has to say about the project!

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Money Raised

$30,300 of $111,900

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What's a Mini-Pitch?

A Mini-Pitch is a small futsal-style soccer field to provide a safe place for kids to play.

Designed, engineered, and created by Musco Lighting to provide safer places to play the game, the Mini-Pitch System is ideal for transforming abandoned courts and other underutilized areas into places where children and families can come together in the spirit of teamwork, empowerment, and physical activity.

I WANT TO HELP

Why Hanna Park and Marion?

SOCCER

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and we are devoted to bringing more opportunities to the youth in Linn County. A Mini-Pitch comes with lights and benches, so all kids need to play is a ball.

COMMUNITY

A Mini-Pitch is not just a place to play. It's a safe place to gather, make new friends, and create shared experiences. With the Mini-Pitch, youth in Eastern Iowa are able to foster a greater sense of community.

LOCATION

As a growing soccer community, Marion youth continue to need safe places to play. By building a Mini-Pitch at Hanna Park, thousands of kids will have free access to a safe and accessible playing environment.

LET'S DO THIS

What the Organizers are Saying

"Revitalizing space and providing equal access are values that we strongly support through our work with the Mini-Pitch Initiative. We are excited to see the commitment put forth by our partners, the City of Marion and Kick It Forward, to develop sustainable soccer ecosystems that will help the youth of Eastern Iowa and Linn County grow and develop their skills."

- Jeff Rogers, VP of Developmental Sales, Musco Lighting

"Marion is always looking to ‘Reach Higher’ and this facility offers a high end facility to expand our recreation opportunities. This project will be the first of its kind within the region and will help grow the development of our youth and for the love of soccer in the community. We are excited about this addition and the benefits that not only leads to the growth of soccer in our area but also the health and well-being of our residents."

- Seth Staashelm, Parks and Recreation Deputy Director, City of Marion

"The game of soccer has created so many opportunities for me. Life-long friendships, learning to overcome obstacles, problem solving, teamwork, time management--all those life skills I use every day can be attributed to soccer. We look forward to giving the kids of Eastern Iowa, the City of Marion and Linn County the feeling of playing in a 'mini-stadium' and filling their appetite for soccer.”

- Matt Sahag, Founder, Kick it Forward

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The Organizations Involved

City of Marion

Marion, one of the fastest growing cities in Iowa and the Midwest region, is a back-to-back All-Star Community and home to over 40,00 residents. Hanna Park, covering 15 acres and home to a pavilion, baseball diamond, restrooms and a playground, is an ideal location for the Mini-Pitch. Located in the southeast part of Marion, the Mini-Pitch is easily accessible by foot or bicycle for one of the youngest per capita municipalities in the region.

Kick It Forward

Kick It Forward is committed to making the game of soccer more accessible in Iowa, the midwest and United States. Kick It Forward's goal is to foster community through soccer, aiming to develop athletic and life skills in youth to allow them to be powerful resources during their life journey. To date, KIF has helped raise money to build 10 Mini-Pitches throughout Iowa and looks forward to working with the City of Marion to bring the first Mini-Pitch to Eastern Iowa.

Musco Lighting

Since 1976, Musco Lighting has focused on the design and manufacture of sports and transportation/infrastructure lighting systems. Offering permanent and temporary lighting solutions, Musco Lighting is the world leader in lighting. To date, Musco has installed over 100 Mini-Pitches throughout the country.

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