During this past Labor Day weekend, the beloved Unified Red Bulls soccer team traveled to Philadelphia to compete against Atlanta United Unified. Unfortunately, Atlanta walked away with a victory of 4-0; however, the team was still grateful to make lifelong memories.
Through hard work and dedication, WMC’s Unified Soccer and Atlanta United Unified climbed the ladder to the game in Pennsylvania. The Special Olympics tournament was held at the Red Bulls Arena.
Unified became Unified Red Bulls when sponsored by the company in April of 2023. The team was beyond ecstatic to be able to be a part of this experience. In an interview by New York Red Bulls, “Signing Day for the New York Red Bulls Unified,” WMC Unified coach Martin O’Toole commented, “The jerseys are amazing, they can not stop talking about them.” They also received locker access and a player’s entrance to complete the experience.
After the match, Agents of Inclusion Podcast met with players Dylan Budd and Drew Pisone. When asked why he joined Unified, Budd stated, “I felt like I was in my element, like I’ve come home.” Later in the interview, Pisone stated, “It’s not about winning or losing it’s about how you act after making the friendships with your teammates and other teams… After whenever we lose we’re always happy, no one’s ever sad, we’re all just happy to be out there.”
The welcoming environment is the most important part of Unified for all who join. Win or lose, all the players will always have their friends and be grateful for what they were able to be a part of. They look forward to more upcoming Unified games and experiences.
