Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper coach John Pascarella teamed up with former KC goalkeeping great and 2000 MLS MVP Tony Meola for Allstate's "Good Hands F.C." clinic in Blue Springs, Missouri on Monday night.
Seven aspiring goalkeepers in the Kansas City metro area were given the opportunity to partake in a two-hour training session with Pascarella and Meola, but none could expect their continued good fortune come the conclusion of training. Though Meola's carefully crafted practice design awards small tokens to participants who demonstrate the best technique and most improvement in a drill, everyone would be a winner by night's end.
Pascarella and Meola, both standouts at their respective colleges, took slightly different paths as they transitioned to the professional level, but both ended up in Major League Soccer during the inaugural season in 1996. Despite suiting up in different uniforms for that very first season, Pascarella and Meola formed a good friendship credited to their large number of mutual friends within the soccer community, including one major influencer, Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes. Allegedly Pascarella has a photo of this power trio from the inaugural MLS season, however -- being from the pre-Twitter and pre-Facebook eras -- it has yet to be leaked onto the internet.
Pascarella and Meola have more in common than just their ties to the professional soccer team in Kansas City. Both individuals play a large role in the community by using soccer as a vehicle to build character among adolescents.
Pascarella donates his time to coaching clinics for all ages and levels in the local area while pitching in with the Sporting Kansas City Academy program. The Penn State graduate was eager to jump at the chance to join forces with Meola’s efforts, who along with the help of Allstate has been able to expand his community outreach to a larger scale.
Meola gathered all of the kids at the conclusion of training and presented them each with a backpack filled with gear, including warm-ups, gloves, shinguards, goalkeeper jerseys and last but certainly not least, four tickets to see the United States Men’s National team take on Guatemala at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Word Cup Qualifying.
Talking with Meola following the surprise, he said, "We've had the opportunity to hold these clinics the last two years as part of Allstate's partnership with MLS and U.S. Soccer. By far, the best part is watching the kids' reactions when they realize they will be going to the big match."
Pascarella agreed, adding, “I really enjoyed being involved with the Allstate clinic on Monday night. It was extremely well organized, very professional, very personable and very charitable with their donations to the kids, especially the wonderful gift of World Cup Qualifying tickets.”
See below to view a photo slide show from the event:
Video and slide show courtesy of Brian Davidson
