New soccer league introducing sport to children in west Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A local judge and retired professional athlete created a soccer league to introduce the sport to more children in west Louisville.

It's the inaugural season for West Louisville Soccer. The league was started by Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards and retired Louisville City FC player George Davis.

"Personally, what inspired me was to go to all these games and go to these tournaments, and there were no other kids that looked like my sons out there," Edwards said. "And I didn't understand why."

The league is made up of more than 70 elementary school students split up into four teams. Edwards said introducing west Louisville youth to soccer is only part of the goal.

"If we keep one kid from having to come before me or one of my colleagues, we've done our mission, but it does hold kids accountable not only to their coaches, accountable to the parents," Edwards said. "They have obligations to show up to practice when they don't want to show up."

"In the U.S. it has been an upper middle class sport where it requires financial means to be able to play at a high level or even at all sometimes," Davis said. "So, in this situation, we're here in the city to access an opportunity to play a beautiful game."

The soccer league is a 501-C3 nonprofit. Edwards said the league is looking for more players, volunteers and sponsors.

To get involved in the soccer league, click here.