The Sporting Jax women’s team is getting ready to kick off their second season in the Gainbridge Super League on Saturday, Aug. 15, against Fort Lauderdale United FC.
The women’s team is looking to build off the success of their inaugural season where they advanced all the way to the semi-finals.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, Sporting Jax partnered with Walmart to host the first Sporting Jax Foundation Shop with a Player Back-to-School Event. Members of the Sporting Jax men’s and women’s teams joined children from the Sporting Jax Foundation soccer clinics as they shopped for school supplies for the new school year.
Each student was supplied with a $50 Walmart gift card provided by the Sporting Jax Foundation to use for school supplies to help start the year off strong.
Georgia Brown, Meg Hughes, Luc Granitur and Tyshawn Rose were all on hand to accompany groups of two to three students through the store to shop.
“We want to partner with the community, our players, our staff and most importantly the kids of Jacksonville,” said Pat Waters, Sporting JAX president and chief revenue officer.
The students ranged from ages 4 to 16 and attend schools within multiple counties in the greater Jacksonville area. The funds provided by the Sporting JAX Foundation helped the students purchase items such as binders, pencils and new clothes.
The players were excited for the opportunity to help students prepare to go back to school.
“The girls were really great; we had lots of fun shopping. They were so excited to go back to school, which is really nice to see,” said Sporting JAX defender Georgia Brown.
The women’s team added several new faces to the roster during the offseason and Head Coach Stacey Balaam is already pleased with what she is seeing from her team.
“The new additions have come in and fit in really well with our identity,” she said.
Balaam said she is excited for the upcoming season, but the message to her team remains the same.
“This is a new season, and the goal is to make the playoffs again,” she said.
The women’s team will return to Hodges Stadium for their first home game of the season on Aug. 22 against Tampa Bay Sun FC.
