Oakland Roots & Soul team up with SCORES to raise funds for a new turf field in Oakland - KTVU Fox

Brookfield Elementary SCORES students warm up with Oakland Roots player Johnny Rodriguez

On a brilliant blue-skies day, members of Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul professional soccer teams came out to raise funds for a new Field of Dreams turf field at Brookfield Elementary in East Oakland. America SCORES is raising $175,000 to build a green oasis of a turf field on Brookfield’s current sea of asphalt. “Asphalt is for cars, not kids,” said Colin Schmidt, Executive Director of America SCORES Bay Area.

KTVU Fox 2 came out to cover the story. Watch it HERE.

Among the Oakland Roots representation was former player Jonny Orozco, who knows exactly what it’s like to play on asphalt. He grew up in the neighborhood and was in the first group of SCORES poet-athletes at Brookfield Elementary more than 20 years ago. His America SCORES team was his first organized team. “It all started here,” Orozco told the assembled poet-athletes. “Soccer saved my life, especially growing up in this neighborhood. A lot of my friends didn’t make it.” But Orozco did, going on to earn a college degree and to play professionally with the Roots. At Brookfield, Orozco wore jersey 98 to honor the street he grew up on, 98th Avenue.

Two decades later, Orozco’s SCORES coach Corrin Haskell still coaches the Brookfield “Killer Bees.” Seven Orozco siblings, plus assorted cousins, have played for him in the SCORES program. “They’re Brookfield royalty!” says Haskell. Twenty years later, Haskell is coaching Jonny’s youngest brother, Sebastian, who wants to play pro, just like his brother.

Mike Geddes, Chief Purpose Officer for the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul was cheered by the event, which included warm-up drills led by Roots player Johnny Rodriguez and the handing out of brand-new jerseys for the young athletes. "What we’re trying to build is the first purpose-driven pro soccer team in the United States. We have a purpose, and that is to harness the magic of Oakland and the power of sport as a force for social good.” Mike speaks more about the Roots and SCORES partnership in this KTVU interview.

Oakland School Board President Mike Hutchinson sees momentum and opportunity in the new field project. Brookfield Elementary has been facing the threat of closure, a move the school board has vehemently opposed. "Coming on the heels of our growing relationship with the Curry’s foundation Eat Learn Play, we now have more partnerships to provide needed services to our community. We are building off an established legacy — from Bill Russell to Frank Robinson to Rickey Henderson to Marshawn Lynch. It’s great to provide that to the next generation of students," he said.