CVS Health and Alex Morgan Foundation Redevelop Community Mini Soccer Pitch to Expand Youth Access to Sports
CVS Health has expanded its commitment to community wellness and youth development through the redevelopment of a new mini soccer pitch at Pantera Park in Diamond Bar, California. The project was completed in partnership with National Women’s Soccer League legend Alex Morgan, the Alex Morgan Foundation, Musco Lighting, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation. The newly renovated sports facility represents the third location established under Alex Morgan’s Pitch Forward initiative, a program dedicated to creating safe, welcoming outdoor spaces where children and young people can participate in sports, build confidence, and strengthen community connections.
Located in Morgan’s hometown, the Pantera Park mini-pitch provides local families with a modern, accessible recreational space designed to encourage physical activity while fostering social engagement and inclusion. The redevelopment also marks another milestone in CVS Health’s broader strategy to invest in healthier communities through improvements to public recreational infrastructure.
Expanding Community Access to Healthy Recreation
The Pantera Park project forms part of CVS Health’s multi-year commitment to revitalizing community athletic facilities across the United States. Through partnerships with organizations focused on youth sports and public health, the healthcare company is working to transform underutilized spaces into vibrant community gathering places where children and families can remain active regardless of age, experience, or economic background.
The Diamond Bar mini-pitch follows an earlier redevelopment initiative announced for Garfield Park Bridge Spot in Washington, D.C., a multi-use athletic field scheduled to open later this year. Together, these projects reflect CVS Health’s growing investment in addressing social determinants of health by improving access to safe recreational environments.
Rather than focusing solely on healthcare services delivered in clinics or hospitals, CVS Health continues expanding its community health strategy by supporting initiatives that encourage preventive wellness through physical activity, outdoor recreation, and stronger neighborhood engagement.
Supporting Health Beyond Traditional Healthcare
CVS Health leaders emphasized that community environments play a significant role in influencing long-term health outcomes. Access to quality parks, recreational facilities, and safe places to exercise contributes to both physical and mental well-being while helping reduce barriers that prevent children and families from leading active lifestyles.
Joanne Armstrong, M.D., MPH, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Women’s Health at CVS Health, highlighted the importance of investing in community infrastructure that promotes healthier living.
According to Armstrong, health is influenced not only by medical care but also by the neighborhoods where individuals live, interact, and spend time with family and friends. She noted that the new mini-pitch creates opportunities for local youth to remain physically active, develop meaningful relationships, and improve overall wellness.
She also expressed pride in CVS Health’s collaboration with Alex Morgan and the Alex Morgan Foundation, stating that partnerships like these help expand equitable access to recreational opportunities for communities such as Diamond Bar.
Bringing Pitch Forward Home
For Alex Morgan, the Pantera Park redevelopment carries particular personal significance.
Diamond Bar is the community where Morgan grew up and developed the passion for soccer that ultimately led her to become one of the most accomplished players in U.S. women’s soccer history. By selecting her hometown as the latest location for the Pitch Forward initiative, Morgan hopes to provide future generations with opportunities similar to those that helped shape her own athletic journey.
Morgan explained that giving back to the community that played such an important role in her life has long been a personal goal. She believes accessible recreational spaces provide children with much more than opportunities to participate in sports—they help young people develop confidence, teamwork, leadership skills, and lifelong healthy habits.
She added that welcoming, safe facilities encourage children from diverse backgrounds to engage in physical activity while strengthening friendships and building resilience through recreation.
Morgan expressed excitement about seeing local children embrace the new facility and the positive influence it is expected to have throughout the community.
The Pitch Forward Initiative
The Pantera Park facility becomes the third completed project under the Alex Morgan Foundation’s Pitch Forward initiative.
Pitch Forward was created to expand youth access to quality outdoor athletic spaces, particularly in communities where recreational infrastructure may be limited or outdated. The initiative seeks to remove barriers that prevent children from participating in sports by creating public facilities that are free, accessible, and welcoming to everyone.
Unlike traditional organized sports facilities that often require league registration or advance reservations, Pitch Forward mini-pitches are designed to support spontaneous recreation. Young people can simply arrive, gather with friends, and play without financial or logistical obstacles.
This approach encourages broader participation while making sports more inclusive for children who may not otherwise have access to structured athletic programs.
Transforming Pantera Park into a Multi-Sport Destination
The redevelopment project involved repurposing one of Pantera Park’s existing basketball courts into a flexible Mini-Pitch System capable of supporting multiple sports.
Rather than replacing existing recreational opportunities, the redesigned space enhances them by allowing residents to enjoy soccer, pickleball, and basketball within the same area.
This multi-sport design increases the facility’s overall usability and ensures visitors of different ages and athletic interests can benefit from the renovated space.
The open-access format also distinguishes the facility from many traditional athletic venues. Community members do not need league memberships or scheduled reservations to use the mini-pitch, making it easier for families, children, and neighborhood groups to gather for informal recreation whenever the park is open.
This flexibility helps maximize public use while encouraging more frequent physical activity.
Increasing Opportunities for Youth Development
Sports participation has long been recognized as an important contributor to healthy child development.
Beyond improving cardiovascular fitness and physical health, recreational sports help young people develop communication skills, teamwork, discipline, emotional resilience, and leadership abilities.
Organizations involved in the Pantera Park project believe that providing safe, high-quality recreational spaces can produce lasting educational, social, and health benefits.
Children who have access to nearby parks and athletic facilities are generally more likely to engage in regular exercise, spend time outdoors, and participate in positive community activities.
These experiences often contribute to stronger self-confidence and improved mental well-being while reducing sedentary behavior.
The new Diamond Bar mini-pitch has been designed with these broader developmental goals in mind.
Alex Morgan Foundation Focuses on Long-Term Community Impact
Laura Wolf Stein, Executive Director of the Alex Morgan Foundation, described the Diamond Bar project as particularly meaningful because of Morgan’s longstanding connection to the city.
She noted that Diamond Bar has remained closely tied to Morgan throughout her professional career, including the celebration that followed the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup victory, when the city honored Morgan with the keys to the city.
The Foundation believes the new mini-pitch represents more than simply another athletic facility—it serves as a lasting investment in future generations of local youth.
Stein also acknowledged CVS Health for supporting the initiative and helping ensure that more children will have reliable access to safe places where they can play, learn, and grow through sports.
Community Leaders Welcome the New Facility
Diamond Bar city officials praised the redevelopment as an important enhancement to one of the community’s most popular parks.
Mayor Steve Tye said Pantera Park has long served as a valuable recreational destination for local residents, and the addition of the mini-pitch creates even more opportunities for outdoor activity.
He explained that the new facility allows residents to explore different sports, remain physically active, and enjoy quality time with family and friends in a welcoming public setting.
Mayor Tye also reflected on the city’s longstanding relationship with Alex Morgan.
In January 2016, following her World Cup success, the Diamond Bar City Council officially recognized Morgan’s achievements and celebrated the inspiration she provided to countless young athletes, particularly girls growing up in the community.
Nearly a decade later, the Mayor noted, Morgan’s Foundation is helping transform that inspiration into something tangible by creating a place where children can develop their own love of sports.
He added that today’s young players may discover passions that shape their futures just as soccer shaped Morgan’s own journey.
Collaboration Across Multiple Organizations
The Pantera Park redevelopment illustrates how partnerships between healthcare organizations, nonprofit foundations, sports organizations, municipalities, and private companies can generate lasting community impact.
Each participating organization contributed unique expertise to the project.
CVS Health provided support through its community health initiatives.
The Alex Morgan Foundation led the vision for expanding youth access to sports.
Musco Lighting contributed sports infrastructure expertise that helps create high-quality recreational environments.
The U.S. Soccer Foundation continued its longstanding mission of increasing soccer participation through accessible community mini-pitches across the country.
The City of Diamond Bar worked alongside these organizations to integrate the new facility into one of the community’s established recreational parks.
Together, these collaborative efforts created a public resource expected to benefit residents for many years.
Celebrating the Grand Opening
The official opening of the Pantera Park mini-pitch took place on Tuesday, August 4, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by representatives from each participating organization.
Alex Morgan joined local government officials, executives from CVS Health, leaders from the Alex Morgan Foundation, Musco Lighting representatives, and members of the U.S. Soccer Foundation to formally dedicate the new facility.
Following the ceremony, Morgan participated in a friendly kick-around session with local girls from the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), giving young athletes an opportunity to play alongside one of the sport’s most recognizable figures.
The event celebrated not only the completion of the project but also its broader mission of encouraging youth participation in sports while strengthening community engagement.
Investing in Healthier Communities
The Diamond Bar mini-pitch demonstrates how investments in community infrastructure can complement broader healthcare initiatives by addressing factors that influence long-term health outside traditional clinical settings.
As healthcare organizations increasingly recognize the importance of preventive wellness and social determinants of health, projects such as the Pantera Park redevelopment highlight the role public-private partnerships can play in improving quality of life.
By creating accessible recreational spaces where children and families can gather, exercise, and connect, CVS Health and its partners aim to promote healthier lifestyles while building stronger, more resilient communities.
With the completion of its third Pitch Forward location and additional field revitalization projects already underway, the initiative continues expanding opportunities for youth across the country to experience the lifelong benefits of sports, recreation, and community connection.
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