LTSC youth participants and their families pose for a group photo during a special behind-the-scenes tour of Dignity Health Sports Park hosted
by the L.A. Galaxy Foundation.L.
By TOMOKO NAGAI
RAFU STAFF WRITER
Youth participants from the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) and their families recently visited Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson for a special stadium tour and soccer clinic hosted by the L.A. Galaxy Foundation.
Participants were given access to areas that are normally closed to the public, including the press box, media areas, production rooms that manage game broadcasts and in-stadium entertainment, premium lounges, and field-level operations spaces. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to learn about the many professions that support a professional sports organization.
Serving as tour guide, Gabriel Osorio, director of community relations and foundation for the L.A. Galaxy, explained that the event was part of the club’s ongoing partnership with LTSC.
“This is our second event with them this month,” Osorio said. “We’ve worked with the Little Tokyo Service Center year-round, and today we wanted to give the youth a chance to see what happens behind the scenes on a non-match day.”
During the tour, participants learned that game-day operations rely on far more than the players on the field. They were introduced to the work of broadcasting, public relations, content production, security, and stadium operations staff, and visited the press box, production booths, and media work areas where television broadcasts, videoboard content, and public-address announcements are coordinated.
“We’re a soccer club, but there’s way more that goes on during a game day than just the soccer players,” Osorio told the youth. “If you’re interested in a job in sports, there are a lot of different opportunities behind the scenes.”
Following the tour, participants took part in a soccer clinic on the field, enjoying the opportunity to play at the home stadium of the Galaxy.
At the conclusion of the event, attendees were surprised with complimentary tickets to the Galaxy’s July 22 match against St. Louis CITY SC.
One parent who attended the event said she follows not only the Galaxy but also Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. Praising Japanese players such as Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida and defender Miki Yamane, she expressed hope that more Japanese players will continue to succeed in the U.S.
Ryan Lee, who oversees sports programs at LTSC’s Terasaki Budokan, emphasized the educational value of youth sports.
“The power of sports is more than just playing,” Lee said. “It’s building memories with your teammates. It’s the social and emotional growth that you experience on and off the court in that bonding.”
The event marked the second phase of an ongoing collaboration between the L.A. Galaxy Foundation and LTSC. In May, LTSC was recognized as a Galaxy community partner and received a donation, game tickets, and fundraising support from the club.
The L.A. Galaxy Foundation is the charitable arm of the L.A. Galaxy and works to create positive change throughout Southern California through soccer. Its programs focus on youth sports access, health and wellness, and inclusion.
Osorio said those principles guide the foundation’s work year-round.
“Regardless of your ethnicity, race, disability, we believe soccer is for all,” he said. “We love what we do, bringing people together with the power of sport.”