Okay, ten o'clock and this is a cool discussion that we're going to have here. It is time to find out about what's going on with the Genuine Cup. And for those that don't know about it, this is where the education comes in and we get to catch up with anataurus, we find out what is going on about it. Anna, thanks for dropping by the morning show.
Hi, how are you doing all right?
Uh? What I wanted to do was give the full education about Genuine Cup because when word came out that a team in our footprint, specifically United, was going to be a part of this, we were like, oh, let's find out about what's going on with Genuine Cups. So, yes, for those that don't know, what is the Genuine Cup, and we did mention that it's going to be at the end of this month. We can officially say that it's the end of this month. I know, so we
can get into that too. But for those that don't know, break down the Genuine Cup and what it is and what it means to the soccer playing community.
Yeah, so the Genuine Cup is, you know, a soccer tournament that we have in Houston for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, so more popularly popularly known as or Most of the people that we see have autism or down syndrome and many more. But it'll be hosted in
Houston for the second time. So last year we had twelve teams and then this year we have forty teams and we're using this platform, you know, as sports is the universal language soccer obviously, our football is a huge, huge sport, and you know, with the World Cup coming to the US, we really thought this was a really good platform and especially time to host this event. And yeah,
last year was our first year, was very successful. This year we're having forty teams from twenty three countries, so it's a huge huge jump, Atlanta United being one of them, and I see some of the comments. It'll be at Rice University. All of the games will be hosted there. They are completely free to join and to come. Also there's volunteer opportunities. But we're really just using this platform to really you know, shine a light on these people and make sure that people see that you know, they
are very talented and especially with playing soccer. That's something we saw last year. They're better than I am, that's for sure.
So when did the idea come up in the first place. What was the genesis of this idea and how did it come to pass?
Yes, so my family in Houston has an ice cream shop that we employed people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It's an uptown park. It's called Rocumbalesque. And with this
just being super involved within the community. My parents are from Barcelona, from Mexico, so huge soccer fans and just you know, it's in our blood and just with the genuine I mean sorry, with the World Cup coming, you know, it was kind of an idea of like how can we really you know, use sports as a universal language. So last year the idea started in like April, like
we started having the conversation about it. So we planned the you know, the tournament for twelve teams in three months and it was it was a learning but it was very fun. So that's kind of how the conversation started. We had met some people all of the La Liga, you know, the Spanish league, all forty seven teams have what we call a genuine team, and so we through
like conversations and meeting people over there. They helped us, you know, with coming up with something for Houston and helped us, you know, kind of execute the actual tournament and learning from them and their rules of the game and all that stuff.
I was going to ask about all of the infrastructure learning and everything like that, because you're going from twelve teams to more than triple that. Yes, logistically, how many how many jobs do you have currently in trying to make sure that forty teams make their way to Houston.
And so I am personally the like team person, so every I'm the point of contact for most of the teams I've had. I have people under me that also help me out with this that I could not do this alone. That'd be a lot of work. And we work with like a travel agency that so this tournament is completely free for all of the people that are
coming through sponsors and donations. So we pay for all of the flights, We pay for all of the activities, but we work with a travel agency that books all of these flights and then with the actual tournament itself, with the actual soccer of everything, we have an agency that does it for us. They are called AGF and they are the ones that run the La Ligas like
tournaments for the genuine teams. They just know the rules, and they they you know, they do tournaments for forty seven teams, so they understand how to do forty teams, so they help us out with actual you know, tournament. But we we get referees from Houston that volunteer with their time, so we have them come, but they that I'm not going to take the credit. The Spain team does that. The Spanish Spanish agency does the actual logistics of the tournament.
What was the biggest lesson that you and everybody there a genuine cuple learned last year to prepare you for this year.
For me personally, not every like I'm noticing every little mistake that happens, not everyone else notices it. One big learning also was maybe it sounds cheesy, is you are making a very big impact even with the stress, Like it is like it feels really good to know that this is something that is actually making a change. And seeing the sportsmanship that these players have is incredible, like actual like MLS and MLB and every other sports should
learn from their sportsmanship. Because a team was losing five zero, they scored one goal and it was like they just won the World Cup and they just got so the energy was great. So one of the biggest learnings was that and that there are there to have fun and to enjoy themselves and to not put so much shress on myself. But they are truly there to learn. They loved we took them to NASA last year. We're else seeing them to NASA this year. They loved NASA so
much and so we're repeating that. But the learning was just kind of for me to like, relax. They are there to have fun and that's just the lay of the land. So yeah, and to work as a team.
Anatoria's Genuine Cup twenty twenty five coming at the end of the month in Houston, Texas at University. You go from twelve to forty. I mean that that's a big jump where people banging on your door sitting are going, hey, we want to be a part of this. What about the field expansion here? How did it come to that big est number?
So we wanted we knew we wanted to raise the number from twelve to thirty two. That was our original goal for the start of the for like what we wanted for this year. And at first it was kind of hard actually to get teams to talk to us like yes and no, it's kind of depended just because you know, last year was twelve teams and they were little like this is your first year or this is your second year, like who are you? So that was kind of and you know, some teams sold us no,
and that's just how it is. And then just because of you know, the they couldn't make it or they didn't have enough players or anything like that, not just saying no because they couldn't come, but you know, just how it was. And then we sadly, because of how many people came or coming to terminent, we had to tell other teams that we are packed and we can't accept any more teams, which is really sad. But our goal for next year is to have sixty teams. That's
a goal. I don't know, you never know, but that's just a goal. And so, you know, we a lot of the teams that can't come this year, we've told them next year. Also, a lot of the teams that can't come this year are because of visa problems or just like not being able to get the visa, which is obviously a hassle, but just it takes like a year to get Sometimes a meeting with the consulate or with embassy. So that's just how it works. But yeah, I mean it's still really you know, that's it's it's crazy.
But we moved the fields. Last year, we paid out like the Rice Holloway Field, which is like where the actual team soccer team plays. This year we're doing it at all the intermural fields, so we have like five fields going on at once, and then the final will be at the football Stadium. And so if you were trying to fill out fifty thousand seats up, so please come. It'll be at like five thirty pm on August first and so, and it's free. So no.
So look at looking at this year's list, VARSA, PSG, Manchester United and Manchester City. Imagine you're putting them in the same group. Atlanta United obviously a part of it, Inner Miami Inter, Milan, Boca Junior's paying Ye Roll, Mexico National Team, Benfica, Corinthians, Rangers, Yokohama Marina Mariners, FC, Soul, Bangladesh national team. I mean, this is a real diaspora of everything when it comes to the intellectual and developmental
disabilities teams. I mean, this seems like it's a serious undertaking. I hope that you and everybody there have like unlimited talking text or WhatsApp or free international minutes. I mean, this is this is a lot of handiwork.
You got to have here. Yes, thankfully we were going to have like twenty five people on site, but it's going to be you know, and plus so we are having so many volunteers come so we will have hands on deck and we will have everyone you know, helping this out once we're actually starting the tournament. So I feel prepared, you know, I am weirdly don't feel stressed
about it, at least not right now. So I'm going to take this calmness with where I am at, but with also I do want to make a comment maybe this is directed to a complete different thing. Is for example, there's we have the FC Soul team coming from South Korea, and that team was created very recently, and a lot of other teams were created to come and join the Genuine Cup, which is really exciting that we kind of started this, you know, not initiative, but this learning of like, wait,
what do you mean I don't have a team. You should start a team? And then like some of the teams last year that we invited Originally we're like, we don't have a team, so we can't come, and then they started a team this whole year and then they're coming this, you know, in a month. So it's been a really cool initiative that even just that even if they weren't able to come, we kind of made a little impact in their little community.
No doubt. And one of the other aspects in all of this is alongside the tournament, you also have genuine connect that's going to be a part of it as well, where you have a lot of different advocacy voices, businesses that are attached, academia that's attached, so you have the off the field intellectual component in addition to the playing that's going on off there.
Yeah, so that's really important to us because we obviously love the idea that we're you know, making this one week of everyone's lives, you know, just so much fun and exciting and you know, traveling to a new place if they've never been to the US or never been
to Houston or anything like that. And also a lot of people are coming without their families, have never even travel without their family, So for all the players, this is like an amazing opportunity but we want to make sure that the impact is not just during the week, but it's during the whole year and for the rest of their lives. So we really are trying to make an impact, like I said, just not on there, not just that one week, but every day, whether that be
through like some law that has passed. And I know it's a little bit specific to the US versus you know, all the other nations and countries that are coming, but we are just really trying to make a voice for these people. And also one thing that we really want to focus on is employability. So for these players that are coming or for these for the people that have intellectual developmental disabilities, a lot of the people can't work or don't like really know the initiative and how to
get a job. Where a lot of these companies aren't hiring people with intellectual disabilities because they don't see the benefit in it and unless you maybe even see like as a cost or as like more time to dedicate to these people. But some of these people are so smart, are so willing to work, you know, it's like another
way for them to have purpose and everything. And so we are inviting companies that do hire people with intellectual disabilities, and also some companies that don't hire people with intellectual disabilities to teach them and show them the benefit and ways that they can work at the company, you know, whether that be as an engineer or at the front desk or anything in that aspect. It's they these people brighten every Wednesdays at least they brighten minds selfishly speaking.
And they have such an awesome house like aspect on life and look on life that and they have such a drive and willing to work because they they want to do what other people do. And I mean this was me even growing up. I couldn't wait to work because I saw my parents do it and I saw my you know, my older siblings do it. So that's like just kind of how we want to just teach them, teach other companies and other people about, you know, the impact.
And we're also having Danny Bowman come from Love on the Spectrum as a keynote speaker and so hopefully she brings some more people in. But you everyone is welcome. There's a sign up link, which you know, it's on the website, but so, yeah, we invite any people to come to join us.
And yeah, genuine dot org is the website where folks more information. What was your and your family's first interactions with and this could this is probably off the field of off soccer. What was your family's first interaction with individuals that have intellectual and development disciplate developmental disability?
So we I have a cousin and my dad's godson, and also one of my family friends has had a daughter who sadly passed away with Down syndrome, and so we kind of I grew up around it, and I, you know, have met many many people. And also I think maybe maybe not, but majority of people could say that they have met someone or know someone with an intellectual and developmental disabilities. And so that's kind of just
how it all started. And my you know, my if if you ever meet my dad, which hopefully you do, but he is a very like hands on deck and wants to like just he loves to be very involved with absolutely everything, and so he was always very in his godson's life. And I'm so am I but like and stuff like this, and he just felt such a strong connection with helping them create a better future for them and obviously for everyone else, but create a better
future for them. So the not the worry, but a worry for a lot of the parents is what's going to happen when I'm not here? And so this is like just with the ice cream shop, is just like one step in is like, how can we make sure that we are employing them and having you know, they have a job and can make some money on their side and not just fully not just depend on the parents, but you know, kind of something like that. And so
that's kind of the way it started. It was just we k new family and friends, and that's like how that's how it all started. So personal connection.
Well, so what has it been like for you and your family to see the kind of impact that what you and your family are doing can have an impact on someone that is the intellectual or development developmentally disabled. What's it like for you to see that shine come through on someone like that when you get.
I mean you get chills on your body, it's like, actually so selfishly, It's like, I don't know if this is selfishly, but I did not. It was a lot of work and it was a lot of stress, to be frank, when we were paying for it, even right now, but when we were paying for the first tournament, I was like very stressed. I'm like, you know, trying to figure out I've never run a tournament before, and like let alone, it's one of the size, so there's a
lot of stress. But like I said previously, is like with the you can see the immediate impact with so many you know, everyone just happy, having fun, like having a great time, and specifically during the final, at the final, we give everyone medals because you know they had a great time participation. And there's this one player for the Mexico national team specifically that looked at his medal and started crying and he was like, I've never received a
medal before. This is my first medal've ever received, and like I just got chills are all over my body. But just like even seeing that immediate impact, you're like, he's going to go home or maybe, but I assume he's going to go home and show his family and friends the medal that he got. And how you know that little thing that I ordered or I got made so quickly that I was just like, you know, it's
a medal. I've I received medals when I was younger, and you know, I don't think twice about it, but there's such little things that these people have don't have never had the access to or never received that that you know, you just don't think about it and it's so small. So seeing that immediate impact was very beautiful and very It was crazy how impactful it is and how little it can see it could have seemed to me beforehand, and how huge it is for them then.
So that was just like an example, it was chills a lot of your body. You're so happy and like seeing people seeing this one guy and other people like just cry because they received a medal. Was it was it was very beautiful.
Well, and then what you're you're looking at is the idea that that moment rubs off on another individual, and you know that person that gets that first metal goes home, shows that metal off and it's like, hey, well all of all of the time that we've been spending with one another in a moment like this, and you hope that that rubs off on somebody else and they jump in and an idea that they have done something previously like that, So you're hoping that that one plus one
adds up to two and four and eight and so on and so on going on.
Yeah, I agree. And also this creates noise for the you know the term, and then they're like, where'd you go. We're like, oh, what's the genuine cup? And then they look it up and then more people are involved, which that's like our goal is we want to make noise and we want to make a lot of people have eyes on this. And also if it isn't with us, and we want the MLB or basketball or anything like that to also create lease Like this doesn't just have
to be soccer specific. You know, like I said earlier, sports is a universal language and this is a great platform and the great initiative. We know that Special Olympics does a lot of stuff. A lot of the teams that are coming are from Special Olympics, Like all the MLS teams that are joining are technically Special Olympics teams, so they also do this. But maybe the NBA can actually create, you know, something like this, MLB can create the Astros, you know, the Braves, all that stuff can
also do something along these lines. Is our goal is to spread this initiative throughout everything and everywhere all around the world. That was also why we wanted to invite so many places, so many countries, is to make noise, not just in the US, but all over Europe, in Asia, in South America, et cetera, in Australia.
Even so, is there a is there a geography gap? Is there a place that you're really looking to knock a door down that hasn't responded yet or has it been fairly uniform? When everybody wants to come and be a part of genuine Cup.
Africa, we like, couldn't we There may be teams, we just don't find anyone. We A lot of the ways that we found teams was like the one team like Manchesters or the Rangers gave us Manchester City contact, so kind of stuff like that. So Africa is one of them.
In Asia, although we have some teams from Asia, there's also a huge gap and also culturally they're very different on the way that they or not, I don't want to speak generally, but they are tend to be more closed off to people's intellectual development of the disabilities and have a more I can't think of the word like older perspective on it versus like how we how I would say the US or Mexico like now views people with intellectual disability. So that's kind of a little bit
of the gap. So those two countries I would say are Africa, though we don't have any teams from Africa.
Okay, So once again for folks that want to find out everything about the tournament, about what you guys are doing, which is great stuff and we can't wait to find out more, especially as you get to take over Rice University at the end of the How can folks find out more?
So, Yeah, if you go to the website Genuine Cup dot org and also on Instagram is Genuine Cup Houston LinkedIn Genuine cop Houston, TikTok Genuine Coup Houston. But on the website there's a get involved page, so if you are in Houston, you can go and click the volunteer link and sign up for volunteering and you know, come on sign and see it. And if you are not able to do that, you are able to just come and watch the games for an hour or two. And if you don't aren't able to do that, just follow
us on all our social media pages. They're all over the website and you'll be able just to keep on following and seeing, you know, what we're doing everyday. Once the tournament starts.
Very cool and I know that we're going to catch up with our friend Marty Jelemy who's the head coach of the Landau Landa United Unified as we get closer to the tournament and find out how things are going with them in season, and a great to catch up with you. Thank all of the intel and have a fantastic tournament. Don't be a stranger, we'll catch up soon.