Over two years ago, we first stepped into Conwell Middle Magnet School in Kensington, Philadelphia—a community deeply affected by the opioid crisis.
Over the previous decade, more shootings occurred in the immediate surroundings of the school than any other in the United States.
The schoolyard reflected that reality. Broken concrete. No play structures. Just a flagpole. No place to play.
But inside the school, something different was happening.
Led by Principal Green and her team, Conwell was alive—transforming lives every day.
Students had built a model of what their schoolyard could be. A space designed by them. They could already see something better. That moment mattered. It wasn’t just an idea—it was ownership.
From there, Fabiola Garcia Morel led love.fútbol’s community engagement with the school. In a place often defined by its challenges, something else was being built: consistency, belief, and belonging.
As part of that process, a 6th grade parent told us:
“This project is bringing childhood back to the neighborhood.”
What stands there now is not just a field. It’s a signal of what’s possible.
As Conwell marks its 100th anniversary, it stands as a powerful example of what sustained community engagement and city-wide collaboration can achieve.
Today, the space is used daily—for flag football, soccer, school programming, and community activity, with Kensington Soccer Club and Street Soccer USA activating the field beyond the school day.
Conwell is love.fútbol’s first Philly Plays field in Kensington, launched in September 2024. There are now three more across the neighborhood, forming the beginnings of a connected network of safe play spaces.
As Principal Green shared:
“Kensington is more than an open-air drug market—it is a proud community. At Conwell, we are a family.”
This didn’t happen quickly, and it didn’t happen easily. It took a school that stayed open, a community that stayed engaged, and partners who stayed committed.
A Philly Plays project by love.fútbol, made possible by the Pincus Family Foundation.
45 days to kick off…39 day tournament…legacy is what remains
This will be my fifth FIFA World Cup working on social legacy, the work began years ago.
I'm working with incredible partners across Philadelphia, New York, Miami, Kansas City, Toronto, and Surrey in Canada.
In general, across the next three months, there will be no shortage of campaigns, announcements, ribbon cuttings, photo opportunities, and swag giveaways.
There will be thousands of 'firsts'; kids stepping onto a new pitch for the first time, owning a new football for the first time, catching a glimpse of their heroes and feeling the excitement that only this tournament can create for the first time.
These magical moments matter.
But the true measure of legacy is not the first play. It is about building belonging.
It is whether a child comes back. Again. And Again. And Again.
- Because the new field feels safe.
- Because their parents allow them.
- Because there is a local coach who knows their name.
- Because girls feel welcome, protected, and expected, not treated as an afterthought.
- Because the space belongs to the community, not just a one-off event.
Even in this digital age there is no shortage of kids who want to get out and play.
Legacy is not a logo, or a photo op. True legacy is the systems built with people.
For most communities, the true impact of a World Cup will never be felt inside the stadium.
It lives in the neighbourhood, in the local field that finally gets reclaimed.
It’s what remains long after the noise fades. It’s generational.
A World Cup lasts for 39 dizzying days. The measure of legacy success should be gauged 5, 15, 30, years later.
Photo: taken by Michele França of her daughter Luany França, 6 years old. Play Like A Girl project - Complexo da Penha, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
This project is a legacy from 2014.
