FLINT - In efforts to grow the game of soccer in the Flint area, an inaugural clinic hopes to plant its roots at Atwood Stadium for the foreseeable future. The Flint Style Soccer Empowering Women in Soccer, Flint Style! clinic will take place June 8 at Atwood Stadium as local athletes of all skill levels will have the opportunity to engage in multiple soccer training sessions and learn about leadership. Registration is $5 per player as the clinic will include goalkeeper exercises, skill development training, and a player wellness workshop for both parents and coaches. Scholarships are available for Flint Style players and any players expressing financial need. The initiative is brought together by Flint City AFC, Flint Style Soccer, and the University of Michigan-Flint Women’s Soccer program. Flint Style Soccer is a community-based program that prides itself on introducing the game of soccer to children, offering free, year-round programs for elementary school-level players. Flint City Bucks President Costa Papista said he’s excited for young soccer players to share the field with the Flint City AFC team and see the game grow because of the clinic. “Our Flint City AFC women’s team is proud to contribute as instructors, and iconic Atwood Stadium will be the perfect setting to inspire and empower the next generation of players,” Papista said. There will also be appearances from soccer leaders who have made their mark on the sport, including Flint natives Carrie Taylor and Monica Perez. Taylor played an integral role in the University of Michigan establishing a women’s soccer team in 1994, which Taylor played on. Taylor is currently the technical director for the United Soccer League’s Women’s Pathway, which focuses on growing the game of women’s soccer. “It’s an honor to come home to Flint and work with local girls and coaches in the Flint community,” Taylor said in a statement. “My hometown fostered my love for soccer at an early age. There are so many people here that truly care about soccer in Flint, and they are the unsung heroes of keeping soccer available to young people.” Perez, a teammate of Taylor’s at Flint Central High School, pursued her soccer career at Michigan State University and is currently the head coach of Flint City Soccer. The brains behind the idea of the clinic, Perez said she hopes it puts a spotlight on female athletes and women’s soccer, especially in the Flint area. “My mentor, Tom Saxton, always instilled in me the importance of giving back to your community—and that’s exactly what I intend to do,” Perez said in a statement. “Sports in this area aren’t just about highlighting the guys. There are incredibly talented female athletes from Flint who deserve their moment in the spotlight, and we’re here to help make that happen.” Group 1 (1st-6th graders) will take the field at 10 a.m. while group 2 (7th-12th graders) will be at noon. The athlete’s grade must be for the 2025-26 academic year. “Our goal is to make this an annual tradition,” Erin Franzen, President of Flint Style Soccer, said in a statement. “The more we invest in our girls now, the stronger our entire community becomes.” For more information on the clinic, click here.