The Inspiring Story of US Youth Soccer Uniting Its Widespread Community
“Using Cinebody was that eureka moment that made us realize the answer to our dilemma was staring us right in the face”
Without question one of the biggest industries affected by the pandemic has been sports. You’ve seen the headlines, you’ve read the stories. From baseball and football, to extreme sports athletics and soccer (both the 2020 Olympic Games and the 2020 European Cup were moved to 2021), the news is the same. Sports are having a pretty difficult time this year.
So if you’re the US Youth Soccer organization, how do you bring your community of players around the country together when they can’t even play? How do you keep those kids, the coaches, the parents, and the fans in high spirits at a time when it’s hard to muster a smile? And how do you even begin to organize a graduation ceremony when gatherings aren’t allowed?
The solution had to work around the social distancing restrictions, take player safety and location into consideration (these players are spread across the whole United States), and be both cost effective and easy to implement.
Video crowdsourcing was the answer.
Tapping Into User-Generated Content To Connect a Nation of Young Players
US Youth Soccer's Adoption of Video Crowdsourcing
Even before the arrival of COVID-19 in the USA, US Youth Soccer had already recognized the potential of leveraging Cinebody to capture content and highlights during their games and events.
While that plan remains part of their future strategy, the organization identified an opportunity to utilize the software during the lockdown. It enabled their remarkable community of players to create captivating, shareable, and motivational content while ensuring their safety within the confines of their homes.
For Jordan Gracey, Content Services Manager for US Youth Soccer, it was an inspired pivot that was a natural fit for the problem.
“Using Cinebody was that eureka moment that made us realize the answer to our dilemma was staring us right in the face,” said Gracey. “We already knew it was simple to implement, could reach easily across the USA, and only needed smartphones to make it work. The results we got were beyond anything we could have hoped for.”
And the results Gracey refers to, well, they range from heart-warming to jaw dropping.
Triumphs, Congratulatory Messages, and Authentic Video Content
Awe-Inspiring Content Created Through Cinebody
After instructing its community to download the Cinebody app, which is as simple as clicking one link, young players across the nation began creating awesome content. One of the many advantages of the software is being able to edit in real time as content arrives, so US Youth Soccer could quickly turn these inspirational videos into content to unite its many thousands of players, parents, and fans.
From trickshot videos (these skills would be impressive for adult players), and messages of congratulations for the graduating players (including an amazing shoutout from Carli Lloyd, two time World Cup Champion for the US Women’s Soccer Team), the content was genuine, original, and from the heart.
When you look at what US Youth Soccer achieved during the very difficult stay-at-home conditions they faced, you can see how any sporting organization, club, or international events industry (think music and concerts, conferences, and conventions) could leverage Cinebody to unite their members and fans around the globe. The pandemic may be tough to negotiate, but it’s not a dead end to great content if you have the right tools.
