This browser does not support the Video element.
World Cup: Milwaukee Simbas soccer club makes sport accessible
The race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ is on. Incredible athletes are playing at the highest level on a global stage, but before they made it there, they all started somewhere.
MILWAUKEE - The race for the FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ is on. Incredible athletes are playing at the highest level on a global stage, but before they made it there, they all started somewhere.
Milwaukee Simbas
Local perspective:
On a field in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood, hundreds of kids have learned to play soccer – a sport that can change lives. But many of them might never have had that chance because soccer comes with a cost.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
"I just feel like soccer is so expensive right now. And, you know, it's keeping kids from really playing because they might love it, but they can't afford it," said Demitrius White, coach of the Milwaukee Simbas.
White knows a thing or two about the pitch. The Milwaukee native made it pro with the Chicago Fire and the Puerto Rico national team, but it all started here – as a Simba.
The backstory:
In 1996, Jimmy Banks founded the Milwaukee Simbas, a youth soccer group making the sport accessible to all. Then it ended in 2004. And when White came back to Milwaukee, he felt a calling.
Milwaukee soccer legend Jimmy Banks honored by former coaches, players
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup nears, loved ones and coaches remember Milwaukee's Jimmy Banks as one of the most prolific soccer players to grace the nation.
"Just going around the city and seeing [there] was nothing for kids that look like me. I thought that it was very important to come back and actually do something and give back," White reflected.
So, the former pro got a new title: coach. What started as camps and clinics became Coach D revitalizing and restarting the Simbas in 2010. The mission remained the same.
"For any families that really want their kids to play soccer, no matter your background, [if] you can't afford it, feel free to contact us," White said.
Coaches, parents and kids
What they're saying:
It's a mission that has others signing up to volunteer, like Dan Adams, who coaches the girls league.
"I want to make sure any kid who, like me growing up, was just kind of curious and wanted to learn, has those opportunities. They don't have to find an expensive club somewhere and travel an hour away just to get in some playing time," said Adams.
The team does more than just learn skills.
Milwaukee Simbas soccer club practice
"We're just not a soccer club. We're a family. We're community," White said. "We like to tell the kids, if we're going to do this, we're gonna do this together, right?"
"Our players and our families are just fantastic, and we all get along, and we support each other," Adams added.
They're coaching kids on and off the field.
"I have parents that tell me like, 'My kid is having trouble at school,' and us as coaches, it doesn't just stop here [at practice]," said White.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
For Rickey Johnson, whose son and daughter both play on the Simbas, he's noticing the league’s impact.
"You learn how to win. We don't call it losing, we call it learning," said Johnson.
It is the same for Deonte Haynes, whose 9-year-old son Caleb is a Simba.
"Now he's aware that his role, no matter what it is, even around the house, he's like, I wanna help, I want to be a part of the team, and he's resilient now," said Haynes.
Milwaukee Simbas soccer club practice
It's not just the parents and coaches who see the value – the kids do, too. Like 11-year-old August Sanchez, who's been a Simba for nearly five years.
"They're just a really good team, like they're really underestimated," said Sanchez. "It's really fun to play with them because you make new friends. I've learned so much from the coaches, like Coach D, he taught me a lot of stuff."
Nine-year-old Sol White, the son of Coach D, agrees.
"It's a really good team and this team helped me like push myself harder, learn new skills and get better at being confident," said White.
How to participate
What you can do:
The Simbas are now 140 kids and growing, featuring teams for girls, boys, co-ed and a variety of age groups.
"More importantly, the diversity. You see everything here. I mean when you come here, I mean it's probably one of the only organizations that I've seen where I see a little bit of everybody, and it's awesome to experience," said Johnson.
While the season just wrapped up, the coaches are ready for what's next, preparing to offer 20 free scholarships to every Simbas summer camp on a first-come, first-served basis. Because if your child wants to play soccer, the coaches believe no matter where your family lives, what your background looks like, or what your income is – they should be able to.
"I mean the amount that the Simbas charge for what you get is unbelievable. I mean Jimmy Banks left a legacy early on and Demitrius has carried it on," Johnson added.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Hayley Spitler and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: FOX6 News interviewed the subjects of this story.