Growing up in San Francisco, California, Sparkle witnessed the beauty of diversity, but also the stark contrast between those with access to wealth and opportunity, and those facing educational and socio-economic challenges. Sparkle was a high achiever and an advocate for social justice, participating in every supplemental program possible. She lived by the mantra "if it's broken, you go fix it" and began her multidisciplinary career as a Lifeskills Youth & Family Advocate, working with youth struggling with mental health challenges and family dynamics.

After becoming a mother, Sparkle saw a unique opportunity to contribute to her community. She volunteered for the recreational soccer program and eventually became the league commissioner. However, she soon realized that youth sports programs were often only available to those who could afford the fees. This led Sparkle and her partners to found TC Sol Futsal, a program with a mission to bridge the gap in competitive futsal by offering sliding scale fees, monthly cost-free community clinics, food stabilization initiatives, licensed coaching, and mentoring to maintain a competitive edge.

TC Sol and the Sol Squad are families who became part of Sparkle's family, connected by the desire for good coaching and good community. But the biggest call to date came with the global pandemic and the ground-zero social unrest of the summer of 2020. With petty crimes and vandalism on the rise and youth struggling with desperation and confusion, SOL OF THE CITIES Serve-to-Play was born. This innovative model instilled the belief that everyone has worth and value, and that our time and talents are social currency. As Gwendolyn Brooks wrote, "even if you are not ready for day, it cannot always be night," and Sparkle remains committed to bringing light and hope to her community.

Coach Mario's love for soccer began at the young age of 8 when he discovered the beautiful game through Minnesota Youth Soccer. Throughout his childhood, he spent most of his organized playing between local clubs, high school, and collegiate soccer. Despite financial challenges, his family always found a way to support his passion for the sport. However, in the pay-to-play model, Coach Mario often found himself as the only Black kid on his teams until he attended Howard University.

Although he was drawn closer to the game after learning about the greats like Pele, he struggled to see people who looked like him primarily due to access and exposure. Now, as a parent, he is expanding his coaching and development education to help provide more opportunities for young people in the game. In 2015, Coach Mario's dedication to development, accessibility, and diversity in soccer was recognized when he was selected as Youth Coach of the Year.

Seven years later, Coach Mario continues to work daily to create and leverage more opportunities for young people in the game. He co-founded SOL OF THE CITIES Futsal League to build on those same core values. Coach Mario is committed to making soccer accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or financial situation, and hopes to inspire the next generation of soccer players to fall in love with the beautiful game.