08/13/2026
BES families,
We are excited to announce a unique new partnership that will bring On and Off the P.I.T.C.H. to Bardstown Elementary!
For families who may not be familiar with them, Louisville City FC (LouCity) is Louisville’s professional men’s soccer club, and Racing Louisville FC is Louisville’s professional women’s soccer club competing in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Both organizations call Lynn Family Stadium home.
This opportunity is being offered to BES students through the LouCity & Racing Foundation, the nonprofit charitable arm connected to Louisville’s professional soccer organizations. The Foundation works to increase access to soccer for young people while using the game to promote positive health, educational, and social outcomes.
Through this partnership, BES students in grades 2–5 will have the opportunity to participate in On and Off the P.I.T.C.H. There is no cost for students to participate in the program. The program is designed to introduce students to soccer while helping them build confidence, develop healthy habits, and strengthen skills like teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and respect.
One of the things we especially like about this program is who it is intended to reach. We want to provide an opportunity for students who may not already have much experience with soccer. Priority will be given to students who are not currently playing organized soccer.
If your child has been interested in soccer but has never really had the opportunity to try it, this could be a great place to start.
It is also important to understand that this will not be a traditional soccer practice or competitive team, and students will not play games against other teams. On and Off the P.I.T.C.H. will operate as an after-school club. Students will meet once per week, immediately after school, for a 10-week session.
Each club meeting will include two parts:
On the P.I.T.C.H. – Students will spend time learning and practicing soccer through a warm-up, skill of the day, skill game, and team game.
Off the P.I.T.C.H. – Coaches will use soccer to reinforce the five values represented by P.I.T.C.H.:
P – Personal Accountability
I – Intellectually Engaged
T – Trust
C – Commitment
H – Humility
The program goes beyond soccer skills. It also emphasizes physical activity, nutrition and exercise, educational achievement, mentoring, positive relationships, confidence, and personal growth. At the conclusion of each session, participants will receive a form of nutrition such as fruit, a snack, or hydration. Students who complete the program will also receive a soccer ball, bag, and swag.
One important note about registration: the interest/sign-up form for this opportunity will be sent separately from our club and youth athletic announcements on Monday. Families who indicate they are interested will then receive a separate registration form from the LouCity & Racing Foundation to complete before the 10-week series begins.
We are very excited to have the opportunity to connect our students with Louisville’s professional soccer organizations through their Foundation and, most importantly, to give some of our students a chance to experience soccer who may not otherwise have had that opportunity — at no cost to families.
💜💛🐯⚽️🥅
