Native Houstonian and ex-Dynamo and US national team midfielder Stuart Holden is stepping up for his hometown this weekend, organizing in conjunction with Dynamo Charities a charity soccer match at BBVA Compass Stadium stacked with American soccer notables to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Holden penned an ode to Houston for The Players’ Tribune ahead of Saturday's match, which will feature Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, Mia Hamm, Steve Nash, Brian McBride, Brian Ching, Chad Ochocinco and many others, and will be broadcast on FS1 at 6:30 pm ET on Sunday.
Detailing how the city welcomed him and his family after they moved from Scotland to Texas during his childhood, Holden explained why he wanted to give back to a place that has given him so much.
“In the most dire circumstances, Houstonians used whatever resources they had to help each other, and now it’s my turn. I have an amazing platform today thanks to this city, and I care about Houston because Houston cared about me when I moved here — a small, pasty (seriously, like a bottle of milk) Scottish kid with a weird accident and a pair of Adidas Sambas that he wore to class religiously,” he wrote.
“This city not only prepared me to play in MLS, but also with the US men’s national team and in the Premier League against famous teams like Manchester United and Liverpool. It also gave me a home and so many amazing memories along the way. With our Kick In For Houston game on Saturday, it’s time to make another memory, this one worthy of the history books!”
Check out Holden’s full Players’ Tribune piece here. Click here to donate to Kick In For Houston.
