Orange County Soccer Club honors healthcare workers with kit reveal
IRVINE — Professional sports teams across the country are inviting fans back into their home venues, a sublime scene given that games were played in largely empty stadiums once sports returned during the coronavirus pandemic.
A collective effort was and still is being called for to help in the fight against the virus, the latest frontier being the race to roll out the vaccine.
While many have done their part, healthcare workers have been on the front lines of the pandemic throughout in taking care of their patients while also worrying about their families.
The world of sports, among others, has looked for ways to show its appreciation, recognizing the debt of gratitude that is owed — one such example being the 7,500 vaccinated healthcare workers who were able to attend Super Bowl LV.
Closer to home for those in Southern California, Orange County Soccer Club has decided that there is no time like the present to spotlight the contributions and sacrifices made by healthcare workers.
Healthcare workers from the Hoag Health Network, with which Orange County Soccer Club has partnered since 2017, were invited out to participate in the team’s kit reveal — a uniform unveiling production — for the upcoming season.
“We thought, ‘If there’s ever a time to focus in on what these healthcare workers have done, now is that time,’” said Jeff Garner, president of business operations for Orange County Soccer Club.
Garner added that a series of five editorial stories will also come out about some of the Hoag employees who were on hand to help the team roll out the new home (orange), away (black) and alternate (blue) jerseys, all of which have Hoag displayed across the front.
In being involved in the interview process to produce the videos about the Hoag employees, Garner said he was struck by what he heard.
“The stories are just amazing of the sacrifice, of their experience through this pandemic, what they’ve gone through, what their families have gone through,” Garner said.
The kit reveal occurred Tuesday with players wearing the new jerseys and Hoag employees dressed in their own professional uniforms for the digital presentation.
“Having community partnerships like this is … great … because it allows us to get out in communities and meet people and understand what the needs are for our community,” said Stephanie Chao, director of pharmacy at Hoag Hospital. “Especially during this time, it’s nice for Hoag to also get to partner with an organization that also supports getting outside, an activity, and kind of health and wellness and all that, so we’re very grateful.”
Roxanna Bryant, director of corporate facility services for Hoag Hospital, shared the hospital’s focus during a challenging 13 months since the onset of the pandemic.
“Through all of this, our mission has been the highest level of patient safety and care, as well as safety for the caregivers, and everyone supporting those efforts at the hospital,” Bryant said. “To be at this point where we can be out and be getting back to normal activities means we’ve done a great job at being able to help the community through this, and help get vaccinated, help get educated on what it means to reduce risks related to COVID.”
Asked what it means to her to have Hoag employees included in the kit reveal, Bryant added, “To me, this symbolizes hope, partnership, community engagement, wellness, being with family and friends, all those things that mean a lot to all of us. It’s all those things.”
Hoag employees also had a chance to kick the ball around with some Orange County Soccer Club players and eventually take some penalty kicks.
“I love soccer and have played street soccer in Brazil since I was 5,” Teia Jung, a physical therapist for Hoag Hospital, said via text after the event. “Brought up so many memories. My heart was so happy to be in the field, as well.
“I came to America to play soccer just like some of the guys at O.C. What a great opportunity they gave us to join them for the fun game, too. After the crazy year we had, just being around people, feeling safe as we are vaccinated, having fun, laughing again and playing soccer was a true treat to the soul.”
Jung added that she played junior college soccer at Merced College.
The Hoag employees featured in the kit reveal will receive customized kits for themselves and team-signed soccer balls at Orange County Soccer Club’s home opener on May 22. Additionally, for each new jersey sold, the club will give two tickets to a Hoag healthcare worker. Jerseys can be purchased at https://www.soccergarage.com/Orange-County-SC.
Improvements in Orange County’s virus transmission rates, and the availability of the vaccine, have opened the door for fans to return to Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine at reduced capacity. Midfielder Chris Wehan, an Orange County native who graduated from Aliso Niguel High School in 2012, is looking forward to that.
“I think that’s kind of one thing that the pandemic did to me was being isolated and being away from home kind of impacted me a lot,” Wehan said. “It forced me to open up [to] what I really wanted, which was to be around family and friends, and so that kind of made that decision a little easier for me to want to be out here, and I’m looking forward to playing this season in front of family and friends.”
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