One Knox makes sure 'soccer is for all,' not just for its pro players

Cheering on Knoxville's very own professional soccer team has quickly become a favorite activity of locals since One Knoxville SC got started two years ago.

For One Knox, soccer is a sport that can thrill and inspire - but the organization also sees it as a means of giving back.

One Knox has two arms, the first team and the One Knox Collective. The first team, One Knoxville Soccer Club, is the main group of players. If you've gone to a One Knox game, this is likely who you've watched.

The One Knox Collective, launched about a year and a half ago, is a nonprofit that includes the organization's grassroots programs.

“Overall, we think  of soccer as like a canvas or a vehicle for positive change in our community," said Sam Weisbrod, executive director of the One Knox Collective.

'Soccer for all'

In places like Liverpool or London, almost everyone is born into what would there be a football club, Weisbrod said. In Knoxville, that's a phenomenon reserved for SEC football, so the One Knox staff had to work to foster its fans' loyalty.

So one motivator for giving back is shaping One Knox's identity as a team the community can rally behind. The staff and team are “engendering that kind of affinity for the crest through positive things we’re doing," Weisbrod said.

“When you look at our logo, you look at our name, One Knoxville, that’s all centered around uniting the community," Ami Rabiei, director of partnerships, told Knox News.

One Knox always had planned to have an arm designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, but the impetus came when two other local organizations approached the group about combining youth clubs.

The new youth club - designed with affordability in mind - became the first One Knox Collective program. In Iceland, soccer is completely free to play until kids are 16, Weisbrod said. But in U.S. clubs, the fees for participation, plus travel and equipment, can be prohibitive.

“It’s frightening to think about how much money is needed to stay in the sport," Rabiei said.

More: Mark McKeever out as soccer coach of One Knoxville SC. Ilija Ilić will lead on interim basis

One Knox Collective's mission is "soccer for all," which means lowering barriers, one of which is cost, because the organization believes the sport has a lot to offer players.

“We really believe that soccer can change lives," said Weisbrod.

“You learn how to win, how to lose, how to be a good teammate ...Those things are huge for a kid's character development and their value system."

Between June 2023 and June 2024, Youth Club participants received over $125,000 in scholarships, Rabiei said.

What programs are part of the One Knox Collective?

In addition to the Youth Club, One Knox Collective includes Monsters, which is for kids two through 12, and adult social leagues.

"Soccer for all" isn't just about breaking financial barriers. The One Knox Collective is ensuring any person who wants to play soccer can do so.

TOPSoccer is an adaptive soccer program created for athletes between ages 5 and 18 with disabilities. Players are paired with a buddy who can offer support through the course of the season.

One Knox Collective's Power Soccer is a free program created alongside Knoxville's Parks and Recreation department. The program is designed for folks using power wheelchairs to compete in the sport.

“Increasingly we’re in these silos … In sports, we break down those walls," Weisbrod said.

Soccer Lab is a program that allows students around Knoxville to learn about data through soccer. Weisbrod calls it "the marriage of soccer and STEM." Participants head out on the field wearing GPS trackers. After playing, they return to the classroom to analyze the data they've created.

In addition to these programs, One Knox Collective also gives back through Goals for Good, an initiative that's been implemented at One Knox home games in collaboration with United Way of Greater Knoxville.

At each game, a different nonprofit is featured, and fans and business partners can donate a dollar to that organization for each goal scored. Nonprofits that have benefited so far include Community Schools, Two Bikes, The Joy of Music Youth Music School and Knox Pride, according to the One Knox website.

“We know we’re doing a good job when we’re seeing all these people come together," said Rabiei.

Hayden Dunbar is the storyteller reporter. Email hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: One Knox makes sure 'soccer is for all,' not just for its pro players