Nashville Soccer Club and U.S. Men’s National Team Defender Walker Zimmerman visited Metro Parks' Old Hickory Community Center yesterday (December 21) to meet and delight young soccer fans with holiday gifts. This was a special moment for Nashville youth as soccer, the world's most popular sport, is rapidly expanding across the U.S. In addition to the gift presentation, Mr. Zimmermann played an impromptu basketball game with local kids.
In partnership with JLab Audio, a California-based audio technology company, and an official MLS partner, Walker Zimmerman generously provided 1,000 pairs of metal earbuds to be distributed as gifts at local Community Centers, with 200 of them being gifted during his visit to the Old Hickory Community Center on Monday.
Zimmerman, a 2020 Major League Soccer (MLS) Defender of the Year and Best XI, helped guide Nashville SC to a historic year, becoming the sixth expansion club in MLS history to clinch a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs during its inaugural season. Nashville SC posted a goals-against average of 0.96 goals per game, the best of any expansion club in league history, and tied for the league-lead with nine clean sheets in the regular season. The club allowed 22 goals, third fewest in the league, and only two goals more than the league leaders. Offensively, Zimmerman will forever be etched in Nashville’s history books, as the defender scored the first ever goal for the club in front of 59,069 fans in the club’s inaugural MLS match against Atlanta United FC on Feb. 29.
Old Hickory Community Center has a down-home feel and is deeply connected to local youth and families. With an afterschool program of 100+ youth, the center is known for its caring staff and vital scouting programs.
In March, Metro Parks will establish its first Youth Soccer League based at Madison Community Center. Centers have been promoting the sport of soccer locally through a partnership with PlayOn Soccer; seven other community centers have signed up for participation. Due to the COVID-19, there were no soccer games organized this year, but plans are being developed for kicking ball in 2021. Metro Parks’ 26 community centers throughout Davidson County are serving youth ages 6-18.
Pictured: Walker Zimmerman meeting young patrons at Old Hickory Community Center.