Kansas City Current Celebrates Opening of Mini-Pitch at Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy

KANSAS CITY (Aug. 7, 2025) — The Kansas City Current officially opened its fourth mini-pitch in the Kansas City Metro Wednesday afternoon, as the Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy (KCGPA) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the official unveiling. The new mini-pitch on KCGPA’s campus was constructed in partnership with United Way of Greater Kansas City, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Cargill and UMB Bank.

The Current also has mini-pitch locations at Ashland Square Park, which opened in 2022, as well as Central Park and Banneker Elementary School, both of which opened in fall 2023. Kansas City Current players Elizabeth Ball, Nichelle Prince, Kayla Sharples and Regan Steigleder were on-hand for Wednesday’s unveiling, along with local dignitaries and civic leaders.

“We are honored to collaborate with the Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy for our fourth mini-pitch in the Kansas City Metro, reinforcing our commitment to the power of sport for all,” said Kansas City Current president Raven Jemison. “I’m so excited for the girls at KCGPA and the nearby community to reap the benefits that this mini-pitch will provide. I’m equally grateful to all our partners on this remarkable community project.”

KCGPA, which is Kansas City’s first and only public, single-gender school serving girls in 5th through 8th grade, will be able to expand its delivery of physical education and club sports programming with their new mini-pitch. Located on the east side of downtown Kansas City, KCGPA aims to prepare their scholars to use their voices, succeed academically and lead impactful, meaningful lives.  
 
"This mini pitch will enable us to expand the ways in which our scholars can develop skills such as teamwork, resilience, confidence, and leadership," said Dr. Nicole Smith, KCGPA CEO. "Further, it is a signal to our community that we continue to invest in and improve upon the KCGPA experience. We are deeply appreciative of our partnership with the KC Current women's soccer team and United Way of Greater Kansas City, whose passion for our purpose is what started this initiative, along with the US Soccer Foundation, UMB Bank and Cargill.

United Way of Greater Kansas City, the Current’s official charity partner and front-of-kit partner, joined the Current in Wednesday’s festivities. A reception followed the ribbon cutting ceremony allowing the students and guests to explore the new addition to KCGPA’s campus.

"The opening of KC Current’s mini-pitch at KCGPA marks another milestone in our work to enhance youth opportunity across our city,” said Ann Gaffigan, United Way Chief Operating and Financial Officer. "This new space will empower girls to develop their skills, their confidence, and their dreams - both on and off the field. We are thrilled to partner with KC Current in creating yet another place where young girls have access to the power of sport.”

The new mini-pitch furthers the US Soccer Foundation’s Safe Places to Play Program, which aims to create 1,000 mini-pitches across the country by 2026. Over 800 mini- pitches have been already built across the country, providing children with safe, accessible places to play in their own neighborhoods.

About the Kansas City Current 
Founded in December 2020, the Kansas City Current is led by the ownership group of Angie Long, Chris Long, Brittany Mahomes and Patrick Mahomes. The team competes in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The Kansas City Current plays its home matches at CPKC Stadium, the first stadium purpose-built for a professional women’s sports team. Named The Most Ambitious NWSL Club for two consecutive seasons by ESPN, the Current is proud of its many precedent-setting accomplishments. To receive updates on the Current visit kansascitycurrent.com.
 
About United Way of Greater Kansas City
United Way of Greater Kansas City’s mission is to mobilize people and resources to improve healthcare, enhance youth opportunity, foster financial security and build community resiliency—so that everyone has the ability to thrive. We do this by investing in the highest-impact nonprofits and programs addressing community need in our six-county service area; and by engineering real-time solutions to our community’s most pressing challenges in collaboration with the public, private and philanthropic sectors. This includes operating 211, our community’s 24/7 resource and referral service which responded to 476,691 contacts in 2024. Every year, 1 in 3 Kansas Citians find help through United Way, and we continue to develop new and innovative ways to connect our community to the services, support and resources people need.
 
About Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy
Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy is the city’s only single-gender, tuition-free, public charter school dedicated to educating young women through a rigorous curriculum that fosters academic achievement while ensuring scholars feel safe and loved. www.kcgpa.org