At first it was all about meetups. Our mission with SQD Pickup, was to bring groups of people together and enjoy the beautiful game we love. The DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia metropolitan area) boasts one of the biggest football hubs in the country and we saw an opportunity to make new friends, talk about the game and of course, enjoy good football.
Anyone who’s ever played here knows just how high the competition can get at all football levels and ages. People are passionate about the game here and so are we. We wanted to share that side of us with those around us and we’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
But, pickup football was only the beginning. We also saw areas of our footballing culture that could use some improvement, more importantly, through youth development.
”I am a product of the youth system here in the DMV. I played at a time where there weren’t huge club organizations that were as organized as the ones we have now. In the same breath football has grown since then, so the need for a more structured environment has become a necessity. But even with a more cohesive base I still see gaps in the infrastructure that need improvement.” - Jed Anglade (Creator of Sqd Pickup)
If you follow the biggest names in football then you know that quite a few of them started their careers playing futsal. It’s a side of the game that demands quick thinking as well as quick feet.
We believe that in order to improve the game here in the United States, the US needs more futsal. We would love to see more Pulisic's, Pepe's and Reyna's getting a chance at playing on the big stage. That means enticing young players to play multiple facets of football.
Encouraging the growth of futsal in the area is not the only way we would like to impact the game. Aiding the youth not only in football knowledge but in higher learning is of the utmost importance.
"I myself have been a grateful beneficiary of the financial support in my higher learning. In high school I was granted a scholarship that helped me in my goal of working towards a college degree. Even whilst playing for my club team the Alexandria Titans, I was given support in multiple facets which enabled me to enjoy the beautiful game in its fullest. Support from community and culture is what makes champions and pioneers later in life. I would love to do my part in helping those young champions thrive."
It is a dream of ours to help the students through higher learning. It is why a portion of the money we make through our inaugural SQD 5's Tournament, will be going to the tournament winners school of choice. We will not stop there. With your support, it is our dream to launch the SQD Footballer Scholarship Initiative. The scholarship will be introduced to the founder of SQD Pickup, Jed Anglade's, alma mater, Alexandria High School, to a worthy athlete headed to a college/university of their choice through the Alexandria Scholarship Foundation. The more scholar-athletes we can produce the better chances we have of producing leaders we need in our communities today.
Thank you for coming out and supporting our endeavors. We hope you get a chance to come to a couple of our pickups and see the community we've built. Don't forget to see the 8 teams ready to stick their boots out June 11th for a $500 cash price and a donation to their school of choice. If you can't come out to our events but would like to support us, you can make a donation using the link below:
Thank you all for your support!
SQD Pickup