Sunday, April 12, 2026
-Staff reports-
The Atlanta United Community Fund has partnered with Atrium Health to open a customized, hard-court soccer pitch for programming and small side games at the Rome-Floyd YMCA.
According to Dan Bevels with the Atrium Health Floyd Polk Foundation, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission reached out to let them know that Atlanta United had a program through the Arthur Blank Foundation to build 100 mini-itches or soccer fields across the state in celebration of the 2026 World Cup.
Atlanta United midfielder Adrian Gill poses for a photo with some local youth soccer players.
“Atlanta United would give a matching grant of up to $100,000 with a local partner who would put up the other part of that to build these pitches,” he said. “The Regional Commission, knowing that our foundation looks for opportunities to encourage health and wellness, activities, and that type of thing, reached out and asked if we were interested. We met with our board and got unanimous support for it.”
The pitch is located behind the Y parking lot between the building and the bank. They are also doing fields in Polk and Chattooga Counties.
“It gets a lot of use already,” Bevels said. “There were community members who were coming to the Y on Sunday afternoons and were playing in that open field already. So, they have an actual field that they can play on. So yeah, we have that one at the Y, we’ve put one in Trion at the parks and recreation department, and we’ve got one in Rockmart at Hogue Avenue Park, where they already have a skate park. Those three are done. Before the end of the year, we will have a location at Garden Lakes Park. We are working with Todd Wofford and Parks and Recreation on that one. We will have one in Cedartown at Goodyear, and one in Summerville on Senior Drive.”
Atlanta United goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert signs autographs for fans.
A ceremony was recently held, which wasn’t a ribbon-cutting, but it was a first kick, to celebrate the opening of the Rome field.
Speakers from Atlanta United, Atrium Health, and the Rome-Floyd YMCA welcomed youth soccer players to the pitch as they engaged in clinics and scrimmages.
Guests included Atlanta United Midfielder Adrian Gill and Goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert.
