WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:02.600 Okay, ten o'clock and this is a cool discussion that 2 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:05.400 we're going to have here. It is time to find 3 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:10.080 out about what's going on with the Genuine Cup. And 4 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:12.839 for those that don't know about it, this is where 5 00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:15.080 the education comes in and we get to catch up 6 00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:18.920 with anataurus, we find out what is going on about it. Anna, 7 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:20.519 thanks for dropping by the morning show. 8 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:22.559 Hi, how are you doing all right? 9 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.640 Uh? What I wanted to do was give the full 10 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:30.359 education about Genuine Cup because when word came out that 11 00:00:30.440 --> 00:00:34.039 a team in our footprint, specifically United, was going to 12 00:00:34.039 --> 00:00:35.679 be a part of this, we were like, oh, let's 13 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:38.640 find out about what's going on with Genuine Cups. So, yes, 14 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:43.439 for those that don't know, what is the Genuine Cup, 15 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:45.119 and we did mention that it's going to be at 16 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:47.159 the end of this month. We can officially say that 17 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:50.359 it's the end of this month. I know, so we 18 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:53.320 can get into that too. But for those that don't know, 19 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:57.280 break down the Genuine Cup and what it is and 20 00:00:57.359 --> 00:00:59.840 what it means to the soccer playing community. 21 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:03.399 Yeah, so the Genuine Cup is, you know, a soccer 22 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:06.879 tournament that we have in Houston for athletes with intellectual 23 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:11.879 and developmental disabilities, so more popularly popularly known as or 24 00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:15.319 Most of the people that we see have autism or 25 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:20.680 down syndrome and many more. But it'll be hosted in 26 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:23.760 Houston for the second time. So last year we had 27 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:26.760 twelve teams and then this year we have forty teams 28 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:30.000 and we're using this platform, you know, as sports is 29 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:34.120 the universal language soccer obviously, our football is a huge, 30 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:37.879 huge sport, and you know, with the World Cup coming 31 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:39.680 to the US, we really thought this was a really 32 00:01:39.719 --> 00:01:44.719 good platform and especially time to host this event. And yeah, 33 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:46.760 last year was our first year, was very successful. This 34 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:49.920 year we're having forty teams from twenty three countries, so 35 00:01:49.959 --> 00:01:53.680 it's a huge huge jump, Atlanta United being one of them, 36 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:56.040 and I see some of the comments. It'll be at 37 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:59.480 Rice University. All of the games will be hosted there. 38 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:03.159 They are completely free to join and to come. Also 39 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:06.760 there's volunteer opportunities. But we're really just using this platform 40 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.280 to really you know, shine a light on these people 41 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:14.199 and make sure that people see that you know, they 42 00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:17.080 are very talented and especially with playing soccer. That's something 43 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:19.240 we saw last year. They're better than I am, that's 44 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:19.599 for sure. 45 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:25.599 So when did the idea come up in the first place. 46 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:28.039 What was the genesis of this idea and how did 47 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:28.840 it come to pass? 48 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:32.599 Yes, so my family in Houston has an ice cream 49 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:36.479 shop that we employed people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 50 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:41.000 It's an uptown park. It's called Rocumbalesque. And with this 51 00:02:42.120 --> 00:02:45.639 just being super involved within the community. My parents are 52 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:49.919 from Barcelona, from Mexico, so huge soccer fans and just 53 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:51.719 you know, it's in our blood and just with the 54 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.919 genuine I mean sorry, with the World Cup coming, you know, 55 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.000 it was kind of an idea of like how can 56 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.759 we really you know, use sports as a universal language. 57 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:05.800 So last year the idea started in like April, like 58 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:08.039 we started having the conversation about it. So we planned 59 00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:10.199 the you know, the tournament for twelve teams in three 60 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:15.000 months and it was it was a learning but it 61 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:18.000 was very fun. So that's kind of how the conversation started. 62 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:21.639 We had met some people all of the La Liga, 63 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:25.120 you know, the Spanish league, all forty seven teams have 64 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:30.159 what we call a genuine team, and so we through 65 00:03:30.199 --> 00:03:33.719 like conversations and meeting people over there. They helped us, 66 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.479 you know, with coming up with something for Houston and 67 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:40.479 helped us, you know, kind of execute the actual tournament 68 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:42.800 and learning from them and their rules of the game 69 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:43.639 and all that stuff. 70 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.039 I was going to ask about all of the infrastructure 71 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:52.719 learning and everything like that, because you're going from twelve 72 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:59.360 teams to more than triple that. Yes, logistically, how many 73 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:01.960 how many jobs do you have currently in trying to 74 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:04.120 make sure that forty teams make their way to Houston. 75 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:09.960 And so I am personally the like team person, so 76 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:11.719 every I'm the point of contact for most of the 77 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:14.159 teams I've had. I have people under me that also 78 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:16.759 help me out with this that I could not do 79 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:19.199 this alone. That'd be a lot of work. And we 80 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:22.040 work with like a travel agency that so this tournament 81 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:24.720 is completely free for all of the people that are 82 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:28.000 coming through sponsors and donations. So we pay for all 83 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.360 of the flights, We pay for all of the activities, 84 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.600 but we work with a travel agency that books all 85 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:36.800 of these flights and then with the actual tournament itself, 86 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:39.920 with the actual soccer of everything, we have an agency 87 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:44.800 that does it for us. They are called AGF and 88 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:48.800 they are the ones that run the La Ligas like 89 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:53.279 tournaments for the genuine teams. They just know the rules, 90 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:56.160 and they they you know, they do tournaments for forty 91 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:58.360 seven teams, so they understand how to do forty teams, 92 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:01.959 so they help us out with actual you know, tournament. 93 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:06.399 But we we get referees from Houston that volunteer with 94 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:10.360 their time, so we have them come, but they that 95 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:12.759 I'm not going to take the credit. The Spain team 96 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:16.399 does that. The Spanish Spanish agency does the actual logistics 97 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:17.000 of the tournament. 98 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:20.399 What was the biggest lesson that you and everybody there 99 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:23.439 a genuine cuple learned last year to prepare you for 100 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:24.120 this year. 101 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:29.560 For me personally, not every like I'm noticing every little 102 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:33.600 mistake that happens, not everyone else notices it. One big 103 00:05:33.720 --> 00:05:38.639 learning also was maybe it sounds cheesy, is you are 104 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.720 making a very big impact even with the stress, Like 105 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:45.040 it is like it feels really good to know that 106 00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:48.560 this is something that is actually making a change. And 107 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:54.519 seeing the sportsmanship that these players have is incredible, like 108 00:05:54.839 --> 00:05:58.759 actual like MLS and MLB and every other sports should 109 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:03.120 learn from their sportsmanship. Because a team was losing five zero, 110 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:05.040 they scored one goal and it was like they just 111 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:07.600 won the World Cup and they just got so the 112 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:10.199 energy was great. So one of the biggest learnings was 113 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:13.000 that and that there are there to have fun and 114 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:16.800 to enjoy themselves and to not put so much shress 115 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:19.600 on myself. But they are truly there to learn. They 116 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:21.800 loved we took them to NASA last year. We're else 117 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:24.959 seeing them to NASA this year. They loved NASA so 118 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:28.839 much and so we're repeating that. But the learning was 119 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:31.360 just kind of for me to like, relax. They are 120 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:33.160 there to have fun and that's just the lay of 121 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:37.000 the land. So yeah, and to work as a team. 122 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:40.680 Anatoria's Genuine Cup twenty twenty five coming at the end 123 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:43.959 of the month in Houston, Texas at University. You go 124 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:47.279 from twelve to forty. I mean that that's a big 125 00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:49.839 jump where people banging on your door sitting are going, hey, 126 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:52.040 we want to be a part of this. What about 127 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:54.319 the field expansion here? How did it come to that 128 00:06:54.360 --> 00:06:55.040 big est number? 129 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.000 So we wanted we knew we wanted to raise the 130 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:01.720 number from twelve to thirty two. That was our original 131 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:03.720 goal for the start of the for like what we 132 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:06.639 wanted for this year. And at first it was kind 133 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:10.040 of hard actually to get teams to talk to us 134 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:12.759 like yes and no, it's kind of depended just because 135 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:14.959 you know, last year was twelve teams and they were 136 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:16.360 little like this is your first year or this is 137 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:19.720 your second year, like who are you? So that was 138 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:21.480 kind of and you know, some teams sold us no, 139 00:07:21.800 --> 00:07:24.439 and that's just how it is. And then just because 140 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:29.040 of you know, the they couldn't make it or they 141 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:31.600 didn't have enough players or anything like that, not just 142 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:33.560 saying no because they couldn't come, but you know, just 143 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:36.279 how it was. And then we sadly, because of how 144 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:38.759 many people came or coming to terminent, we had to 145 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:41.560 tell other teams that we are packed and we can't 146 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:44.519 accept any more teams, which is really sad. But our 147 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:49.680 goal for next year is to have sixty teams. That's 148 00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:52.040 a goal. I don't know, you never know, but that's 149 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.879 just a goal. And so, you know, we a lot 150 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:56.839 of the teams that can't come this year, we've told 151 00:07:56.839 --> 00:07:58.720 them next year. Also, a lot of the teams that 152 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:01.839 can't come this year are because of visa problems or 153 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.079 just like not being able to get the visa, which 154 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:07.439 is obviously a hassle, but just it takes like a 155 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:09.480 year to get Sometimes a meeting with the consulate or 156 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:12.399 with embassy. So that's just how it works. But yeah, 157 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:16.160 I mean it's still really you know, that's it's it's crazy. 158 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:18.560 But we moved the fields. Last year, we paid out 159 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.439 like the Rice Holloway Field, which is like where the 160 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:23.920 actual team soccer team plays. This year we're doing it 161 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:26.879 at all the intermural fields, so we have like five 162 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:29.920 fields going on at once, and then the final will 163 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.600 be at the football Stadium. And so if you were 164 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:36.399 trying to fill out fifty thousand seats up, so please come. 165 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:40.080 It'll be at like five thirty pm on August first 166 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:43.320 and so, and it's free. So no. 167 00:08:44.279 --> 00:08:48.720 So look at looking at this year's list, VARSA, PSG, 168 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.200 Manchester United and Manchester City. Imagine you're putting them in 169 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.360 the same group. Atlanta United obviously a part of it, 170 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:58.720 Inner Miami Inter, Milan, Boca Junior's paying Ye Roll, Mexico 171 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:04.720 National Team, Benfica, Corinthians, Rangers, Yokohama Marina Mariners, FC, Soul, 172 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:10.240 Bangladesh national team. I mean, this is a real diaspora 173 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:15.000 of everything when it comes to the intellectual and developmental 174 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:19.399 disabilities teams. I mean, this seems like it's a serious undertaking. 175 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:22.960 I hope that you and everybody there have like unlimited 176 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.559 talking text or WhatsApp or free international minutes. I mean, 177 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:28.759 this is this is a lot of handiwork. 178 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.799 You got to have here. Yes, thankfully we were going 179 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:34.600 to have like twenty five people on site, but it's 180 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:37.200 going to be you know, and plus so we are 181 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:40.360 having so many volunteers come so we will have hands 182 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:43.080 on deck and we will have everyone you know, helping 183 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.600 this out once we're actually starting the tournament. So I 184 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:50.120 feel prepared, you know, I am weirdly don't feel stressed 185 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:52.039 about it, at least not right now. So I'm going 186 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:55.120 to take this calmness with where I am at, but 187 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:57.679 with also I do want to make a comment maybe 188 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:00.440 this is directed to a complete different thing. Is for example, 189 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:04.480 there's we have the FC Soul team coming from South Korea, 190 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:08.039 and that team was created very recently, and a lot 191 00:10:08.039 --> 00:10:10.360 of other teams were created to come and join the 192 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:13.919 Genuine Cup, which is really exciting that we kind of 193 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:17.759 started this, you know, not initiative, but this learning of like, wait, 194 00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:19.360 what do you mean I don't have a team. You 195 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:21.399 should start a team? And then like some of the 196 00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:24.679 teams last year that we invited Originally we're like, we 197 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:26.200 don't have a team, so we can't come, and then 198 00:10:26.240 --> 00:10:28.559 they started a team this whole year and then they're 199 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:31.519 coming this, you know, in a month. So it's been 200 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:34.080 a really cool initiative that even just that even if 201 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:35.840 they weren't able to come, we kind of made a 202 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:37.960 little impact in their little community. 203 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:40.360 No doubt. And one of the other aspects in all 204 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:43.879 of this is alongside the tournament, you also have genuine 205 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:46.039 connect that's going to be a part of it as well, 206 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:50.000 where you have a lot of different advocacy voices, businesses 207 00:10:50.039 --> 00:10:52.919 that are attached, academia that's attached, so you have the 208 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:56.159 off the field intellectual component in addition to the playing 209 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:57.000 that's going on off there. 210 00:10:57.720 --> 00:11:00.679 Yeah, so that's really important to us because we obviously 211 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:03.200 love the idea that we're you know, making this one 212 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:06.240 week of everyone's lives, you know, just so much fun 213 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:09.000 and exciting and you know, traveling to a new place 214 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:11.000 if they've never been to the US or never been 215 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:13.360 to Houston or anything like that. And also a lot 216 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.279 of people are coming without their families, have never even 217 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:17.960 travel without their family, So for all the players, this 218 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.519 is like an amazing opportunity but we want to make 219 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:22.360 sure that the impact is not just during the week, 220 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:24.000 but it's during the whole year and for the rest 221 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:27.679 of their lives. So we really are trying to make 222 00:11:27.720 --> 00:11:30.440 an impact, like I said, just not on there, not 223 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.279 just that one week, but every day, whether that be 224 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:36.159 through like some law that has passed. And I know 225 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:38.679 it's a little bit specific to the US versus you know, 226 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:40.960 all the other nations and countries that are coming, but 227 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.440 we are just really trying to make a voice for 228 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:46.960 these people. And also one thing that we really want 229 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:50.320 to focus on is employability. So for these players that 230 00:11:50.360 --> 00:11:53.679 are coming or for these for the people that have 231 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:57.360 intellectual developmental disabilities, a lot of the people can't work 232 00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:00.440 or don't like really know the initiative and how to 233 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:02.960 get a job. Where a lot of these companies aren't 234 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:07.000 hiring people with intellectual disabilities because they don't see the 235 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:10.279 benefit in it and unless you maybe even see like 236 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:13.080 as a cost or as like more time to dedicate 237 00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:15.879 to these people. But some of these people are so smart, 238 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:18.639 are so willing to work, you know, it's like another 239 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:22.080 way for them to have purpose and everything. And so 240 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:25.360 we are inviting companies that do hire people with intellectual disabilities, 241 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:28.480 and also some companies that don't hire people with intellectual 242 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:32.080 disabilities to teach them and show them the benefit and 243 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:34.360 ways that they can work at the company, you know, 244 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:37.879 whether that be as an engineer or at the front 245 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:41.159 desk or anything in that aspect. It's they these people 246 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:45.679 brighten every Wednesdays at least they brighten minds selfishly speaking. 247 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:50.240 And they have such an awesome house like aspect on 248 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:53.320 life and look on life that and they have such 249 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:57.639 a drive and willing to work because they they want 250 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:00.720 to do what other people do. And I mean this 251 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:03.000 was me even growing up. I couldn't wait to work 252 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:05.080 because I saw my parents do it and I saw 253 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:06.919 my you know, my older siblings do it. So that's 254 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:09.720 like just kind of how we want to just teach them, 255 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:13.279 teach other companies and other people about, you know, the impact. 256 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:17.840 And we're also having Danny Bowman come from Love on 257 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:20.799 the Spectrum as a keynote speaker and so hopefully she 258 00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:24.240 brings some more people in. But you everyone is welcome. 259 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:27.320 There's a sign up link, which you know, it's on 260 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:31.279 the website, but so, yeah, we invite any people to 261 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:32.799 come to join us. 262 00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:37.360 And yeah, genuine dot org is the website where folks 263 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:43.039 more information. What was your and your family's first interactions 264 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.320 with and this could this is probably off the field 265 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:50.159 of off soccer. What was your family's first interaction with 266 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:53.799 individuals that have intellectual and development disciplate developmental disability? 267 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:59.159 So we I have a cousin and my dad's godson, 268 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:02.919 and also one of my family friends has had a 269 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:05.200 daughter who sadly passed away with Down syndrome, and so 270 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:08.759 we kind of I grew up around it, and I, 271 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:11.559 you know, have met many many people. And also I 272 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:15.120 think maybe maybe not, but majority of people could say 273 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:17.879 that they have met someone or know someone with an 274 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:20.840 intellectual and developmental disabilities. And so that's kind of just 275 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:24.399 how it all started. And my you know, my if 276 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:26.240 if you ever meet my dad, which hopefully you do, 277 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:28.960 but he is a very like hands on deck and 278 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:32.480 wants to like just he loves to be very involved 279 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:36.120 with absolutely everything, and so he was always very in 280 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:38.960 his godson's life. And I'm so am I but like 281 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:41.720 and stuff like this, and he just felt such a 282 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:46.480 strong connection with helping them create a better future for 283 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:48.639 them and obviously for everyone else, but create a better 284 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:51.000 future for them. So the not the worry, but a 285 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:52.879 worry for a lot of the parents is what's going 286 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:55.960 to happen when I'm not here? And so this is 287 00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:58.240 like just with the ice cream shop, is just like 288 00:14:58.440 --> 00:15:01.039 one step in is like, how can we make sure 289 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:03.600 that we are employing them and having you know, they 290 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:05.600 have a job and can make some money on their 291 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:08.519 side and not just fully not just depend on the parents, 292 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:10.759 but you know, kind of something like that. And so 293 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:12.519 that's kind of the way it started. It was just 294 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:16.159 we k new family and friends, and that's like how 295 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:19.840 that's how it all started. So personal connection. 296 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.440 Well, so what has it been like for you and 297 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:27.720 your family to see the kind of impact that what 298 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.039 you and your family are doing can have an impact 299 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:34.000 on someone that is the intellectual or development developmentally disabled. 300 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:36.320 What's it like for you to see that shine come 301 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:38.639 through on someone like that when you get. 302 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:40.600 I mean you get chills on your body, it's like, 303 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:45.600 actually so selfishly, It's like, I don't know if this 304 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:48.000 is selfishly, but I did not. It was a lot 305 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:49.240 of work and it was a lot of stress, to 306 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:51.559 be frank, when we were paying for it, even right now, 307 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:52.960 but when we were paying for the first tournament, I 308 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:55.159 was like very stressed. I'm like, you know, trying to 309 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:57.240 figure out I've never run a tournament before, and like 310 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:00.320 let alone, it's one of the size, so there's a 311 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:02.679 lot of stress. But like I said previously, is like 312 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:06.879 with the you can see the immediate impact with so 313 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:09.840 many you know, everyone just happy, having fun, like having 314 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:14.639 a great time, and specifically during the final, at the final, 315 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:16.919 we give everyone medals because you know they had a 316 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:20.039 great time participation. And there's this one player for the 317 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:23.039 Mexico national team specifically that looked at his medal and 318 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:24.840 started crying and he was like, I've never received a 319 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:27.600 medal before. This is my first medal've ever received, and 320 00:16:27.639 --> 00:16:29.240 like I just got chills are all over my body. 321 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:32.360 But just like even seeing that immediate impact, you're like, 322 00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:35.120 he's going to go home or maybe, but I assume 323 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:37.000 he's going to go home and show his family and 324 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:39.519 friends the medal that he got. And how you know 325 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:43.759 that little thing that I ordered or I got made 326 00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:45.399 so quickly that I was just like, you know, it's 327 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:48.080 a medal. I've I received medals when I was younger, 328 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:50.559 and you know, I don't think twice about it, but 329 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:55.559 there's such little things that these people have don't have 330 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:58.399 never had the access to or never received that that 331 00:16:58.919 --> 00:17:00.320 you know, you just don't think about it and it's 332 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:03.840 so small. So seeing that immediate impact was very beautiful 333 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:06.599 and very It was crazy how impactful it is and 334 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:08.599 how little it can see it could have seemed to 335 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:11.440 me beforehand, and how huge it is for them then. 336 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:13.960 So that was just like an example, it was chills 337 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:15.720 a lot of your body. You're so happy and like 338 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:20.440 seeing people seeing this one guy and other people like 339 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:23.319 just cry because they received a medal. Was it was 340 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:24.839 it was very beautiful. 341 00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:29.119 Well, and then what you're you're looking at is the 342 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:34.480 idea that that moment rubs off on another individual, and 343 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:37.039 you know that person that gets that first metal goes home, 344 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:39.839 shows that metal off and it's like, hey, well all 345 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:42.119 of all of the time that we've been spending with 346 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:45.680 one another in a moment like this, and you hope 347 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:47.960 that that rubs off on somebody else and they jump 348 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:51.160 in and an idea that they have done something previously 349 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:53.079 like that, So you're hoping that that one plus one 350 00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:55.000 adds up to two and four and eight and so 351 00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:55.960 on and so on going on. 352 00:17:56.119 --> 00:17:59.240 Yeah, I agree. And also this creates noise for the 353 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.680 you know the term, and then they're like, where'd you go. 354 00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:03.640 We're like, oh, what's the genuine cup? And then they 355 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.720 look it up and then more people are involved, which 356 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:08.200 that's like our goal is we want to make noise 357 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:10.400 and we want to make a lot of people have 358 00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:13.160 eyes on this. And also if it isn't with us, 359 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:17.119 and we want the MLB or basketball or anything like 360 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:19.240 that to also create lease Like this doesn't just have 361 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:21.720 to be soccer specific. You know, like I said earlier, 362 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:24.480 sports is a universal language and this is a great 363 00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:27.039 platform and the great initiative. We know that Special Olympics 364 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:28.279 does a lot of stuff. A lot of the teams 365 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:31.400 that are coming are from Special Olympics, Like all the 366 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:35.240 MLS teams that are joining are technically Special Olympics teams, 367 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:38.440 so they also do this. But maybe the NBA can 368 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:41.480 actually create, you know, something like this, MLB can create 369 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:44.160 the Astros, you know, the Braves, all that stuff can 370 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:46.640 also do something along these lines. Is our goal is 371 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:51.359 to spread this initiative throughout everything and everywhere all around 372 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:54.039 the world. That was also why we wanted to invite 373 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:58.119 so many places, so many countries, is to make noise, 374 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:01.960 not just in the US, but all over Europe, in Asia, 375 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:04.640 in South America, et cetera, in Australia. 376 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:10.519 Even so, is there a is there a geography gap? 377 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:13.480 Is there a place that you're really looking to knock 378 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:15.759 a door down that hasn't responded yet or has it 379 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:18.640 been fairly uniform? When everybody wants to come and be 380 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:19.920 a part of genuine Cup. 381 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:24.119 Africa, we like, couldn't we There may be teams, we 382 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:27.160 just don't find anyone. We A lot of the ways 383 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:30.000 that we found teams was like the one team like 384 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:33.400 Manchesters or the Rangers gave us Manchester City contact, so 385 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:35.880 kind of stuff like that. So Africa is one of them. 386 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.680 In Asia, although we have some teams from Asia, there's 387 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:42.720 also a huge gap and also culturally they're very different 388 00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:44.680 on the way that they or not, I don't want 389 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:48.880 to speak generally, but they are tend to be more 390 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:52.000 closed off to people's intellectual development of the disabilities and 391 00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:54.880 have a more I can't think of the word like 392 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:59.519 older perspective on it versus like how we how I 393 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:02.759 would say the US or Mexico like now views people 394 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:04.839 with intellectual disability. So that's kind of a little bit 395 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:09.799 of the gap. So those two countries I would say 396 00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:13.839 are Africa, though we don't have any teams from Africa. 397 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:16.680 Okay, So once again for folks that want to find 398 00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:20.359 out everything about the tournament, about what you guys are doing, 399 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:22.759 which is great stuff and we can't wait to find 400 00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:25.839 out more, especially as you get to take over Rice 401 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:28.319