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SDDCU Blood Drives
Wednesday, July 1
San Diego Blood Bank Blood Drives
San Diego County Credit Union will host mobile blood donations at its Encinitas, Santee, San Ysidro, and Sports Arena branches. Inventory is critically low, so every donation counts.
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Saturday, July 4
Fireworks
View our list of fireworks shows around the county.
MoPA Opening
The Museum of Photographic Arts is reopening, and every guest will get a MoPA Shop gift with admission. The two exhibitions on view are Illusion: The Magic of Motion and Out of the Shadows: Contemporary Chinese Photography. Face masks and social distancing required.
11 a.m.–5 p.m., 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park
Four on the 4th: Ruck, Walk & Run for Independence
This virtual fun run benefits military service members and their families! Run on your favorite trail with the aid of USO music playlists, a rise-and-shine warm-up featuring Spartan World Champ Robert Killian, the national anthem sung by the USO Show Troupe, and a virtual celebration. Sign up as an individual, team, or sponsor and receive a USO T-shirt, downloadable bib, face mask, and medal. You can also text “Freedom” to 90990 to donate.
$35 per person to register, 7:30 a.m. Rise-and-shine warm-up on Facebook Live.
The Doggone Patriotic 5K
Dress in matching gear and walk or run this virtual 3.2 miles with your dog. The inaugural event benefits Pets for Vets, a nonprofit organization that connects military veterans with rescued dogs, cats, and even rabbits.
Smokin J’s BBQ’s Outdoor Pig Roast Fundraiser
Smokin J’s BBQ is hosting a pig roast and raising money for Future Farmers of America at Poway High School. The restaurant purchased a 250-pound hog that Poway student Jake Pierce raised but was unable to auction due to the pandemic. Head to Smokin J’s for fresh pork, a good cause, and socially distanced games of cornhole, giant Jenga, and paddle ball.
3:30 p.m., 14035 Midland Road, Poway; RSVP to [email protected].
Monday, July 6
San Diego Music Awards
The 29th annual SDMA will be virtual with nominated performers such as MDRN HSTRY, The Sleepwalkers, and David Maldonado, plus award presenters like Jason Mraz, Steve Poltz, Tim Flannery (former Padre!), and Bill Walton.
7 p.m. live via sandiegomusicawards.com
Friday, July 10
Del Mar Races Opening Day and Virtual Hats Contest
More than 20 local restaurants, hotels and casinos will screen the day’s 10-race card and serve signature drink specials (long live the Del Margarita!). Wager on the TVG app or at TVG.com. The 26th annual Opening Day Hats Contest will be virtual on Instagram and Twitter. The iconic contest is open to anyone who hashtags #DelMarHatsContest and tags @DelMarRacing in their photo.
Races start at 2 p.m.
Pride Flag Raising
Sycuan will be the first southern California tribal casino to raise a Pride flag on a tribal reservation. At the ceremony, there will be members from the Sycuan Tribal Council, The San Diego LGBT Community Center, and San Diego Pride. The San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus will perform.
9 a.m., Sycuan Casino Resort
Saturday, July 11
SD Loyal Soccer Season
Soccer fans can finally welcome the SD Loyal to the field. Download the app or sign up for updates and to learn more info about the games.
Saturday, July 11 and July 25
Drive-Through Food Distributions
Feeding San Diego, in partnership with the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, will host food distributions for the first 1,000 vehicles to arrive. Food will go directly in the trunk—no need to get out. If San Diego families and seniors cannot come by car, they can look here for a site near their home.
8:30 a.m., SDCCU Stadium, 9449 Friars Road, Mission Valley
Saturday, July 25
Bill Walton
Bike for Humanity II
Bike for Humanity, a global initiative launched by Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton, is hosting the ElliptiGO Bike for Humanity II. The headliners are ultramarathon champion and three-time winner of Competitor Magazine’s Endurance Athlete of the Year Dean Karnazes, Boston (2014) and New York City (2009) Marathon champion and Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, and Walton himself. The event is a virtual bike ride where individuals can ride for up to two hours, and net proceeds benefit Free Bikes 4 Kidz (FB4K), No Kid Hungry, and The Rex Foundation.
Ongoing
Del Mar Live
Watch the horseracing on the TVG app or on TV: TVG Network, DirecTV 602, Dish Network 399, AT&T U-verse 672 (SD) 1671 (HD) and Verizon FiOS 315 (SD) 815 (HD).
Races every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 10 to September 7; first post at 2 p.m.
The post Things to Do—from a Distance—in July appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>The post San Diego’s Never Been Closer to Having an MLS Team appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
]]>That’s what Warren Smith is delivering in the form of the San Diego Loyal Soccer Club, the newest member of the USL Championship league (USLC), which ranks just one division below Major League Soccer (MLS)—and means our city has never been closer to having a major league team.
“The market speaks for itself,” says Smith, SD Loyal president. “You have more people that actually play the sport, from youth to adult, than any city per capita in the nation and you also have more people watching soccer than any other city in the nation. It’s a huge soccer community and it’s been underserved from a professional standpoint.”
On paper, all signs point to the SD Loyal being in good hands. Smith’s a serial entrepreneur who has a track record of growing professional sports teams. He founded Sacramento’s USL team in 2012 and five years later handed it off for MLS expansion. Before that, he revived Portland’s USL team to a degree that it too was granted a spot in the MLS.
Now Smith has high hopes for San Diego: In the long run, a stadium for the SD Loyal to call its own, and hey, maybe being owned by or graduated to an MLS team. But he admits that it all starts with filling seats.
“Right now, it’s all about reintroducing this sport to people from a professional standpoint and building a following. Our goal is to be the best damn USL club in the country.”
To help, we’ve pored over the roster and handpicked a few notable locals and newcomers you should cheer loud and proud for this inaugural season, kicking off March 7 versus the Las Vegas Lights FC at University of San Diego’s Torero Stadium.
San Diego Loyal – Landon Donovan
Ryan Young / SDLoyal.com
Coaching Staff
Landon Donovan
Manager and Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations, 37, Redlands, CA
Why he’s a BIG deal:
He spent most of his career with the LA Galaxy, and the MLS renamed its MVP award after him. He’s played in six MLS Cups and holds the league’s record in assists, goals, and playoff goals. He’s represented the US in three FIFA World Cups and is the only US player to surpass both 50 goals and assists in his career.
On transitioning from player to coach:
“The on-field part is comfortable for me. The off-field part has been more challenging, but you don’t really know what goes into something until you actually spend time doing it. Interacting with agents, players, staff, and so on has been fascinating.”
Field fact:
Came out of retirement three times, most recently to join the San Diego Sockers.
San Diego Loyal – Carrie Taylor
Ryan Young / SDLoyal.com
Coaching Staff
Carrie Taylor
Assistant Coach, 47 (“but feels 37”), Flint, MI
Why you should know her:
She’s currently the only female coach of a US men’s professional soccer team.
On coaching men:
“Soccer has the same rules no matter the gender playing. Men coach women all the time in every sport, so being a female coaching a male should be the same. Building respect and trust with players is first and foremost, and gender should not play a role in that.”
Off-field fact:
She has an albino pet rabbit named Stinky, who stands on her hind legs to beg for treats.
San Diego Loyal – Eric Avila
Ryan Young / SDLoyal.com
Midfielder
Eric Avila
32, Carlsbad, CA
Who might know him:
La Costa Canyon High School alumni, perhaps. And any avid followers of the MLS. He’s played over 150 games for FC Dallas, Toronto FC, Chivas USA, and Orlando City SC. Most recently, he was on the Birmingham Legion USL team.
On childhood aspirations:
“When I was a kid, I always wanted to play for the San Diego Flash, and it became a dream to play here in front of my family and friends. SD Loyal has brought me back to where it all started. [He has been playing against teammate Sal Zizzo since they were in club soccer.] I hope to give kids in San Diego a team to look up to and one day have a dream like I did to play for their home city.”
Off-field fact:
He loves coffee and hopes to open a café someday.
San Diego Loyal – Salvatore “Sal” Zizzo Jr.
Ryan Young / SDLoyal.com
Defender
Salvatore “Sal” Zizzo Jr.
32, San Diego, CA
Where you last saw him:
Winning the MLS Cup in 2018 with the Atlanta United. Like Avila, he’s played in over 150 MLS games, but for Chivas USA, the Portland Timbers, Sporting Kansas City, the New York Red Bulls, and the Atlanta United. Locally, you may have spotted him at Barbusa or Nonna + Zucchero—he’s a member of the Busalacchi restaurateur family.
On coming home:
“Joining the SD Loyal means everything to me. I’ve always wanted to play for my hometown, and this team has given me the opportunity to do that. I’ve never been more excited to play for a team.”
Off-field fact:
He and two former teammates host BSI: The Podcast, where they interview soccer players from around the world.
San Diego Loyal – Ashley Nazira
Ryan Young / SDLoyal.com
Forward
Ashley Nazira
24, Mauritius
Why you don’t know him… yet:
Because the SD Loyal is his US debut—and the first US debut of any Mauritian soccer player. The rookie’s one to watch, as he’s a four-time top scorer in the Mauritian League and was named the country’s National Player.
On his soccer start:
“I was six or seven years old. We played in the street back in my city. I would score and score all the time. I started to play as a striker with a team in the region and was always the top scorer. The feeling of scoring has kept me passionate.”
Field fact:
He always puts on his left “boot” (cleat) before his right.
San Diego Loyal – Feature
Ryan Young / SDLoyal.com
The post San Diego’s Never Been Closer to Having an MLS Team appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
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