NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Goalpher, a new company dedicated to making Kyle Martino’s patented subterranean goal system available in the global market, announces that former professional soccer player Patrice Evra has joined as Co-Founder.
Goalpher, a self-rising soccer goal system which is stored in a subterranean enclosure and pops up from the ground, transforms any public hard-top surface into a multi-sport court within a matter of seconds.
Originally developed to empower the Over Under Initiative to meet its social mission of providing greater access to sport, Goalpher has attracted interest from communities across the globe. Evra, former captain of both Manchester United and the French National team, and Martino, former MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team player, will work closely together to produce the innovative product at scale and ensure soccer is accessible to all.
Goalpher, a 4-foot x 6-foot goal with a tight-knit net, is typically installed on basketball or tennis courts, but can be placed on any blacktop surface, opening the space for soccer or hockey. When stored, this design preserves the original intent of the space.
Raised on the streets of Les Ulis, a commune south of Paris, Evra knows firsthand how important access to sport is in providing a future for young players who may not have the resources to further their playing careers.
Patrice says, “I grew up on the streets and made it to the greatest clubs in the world. I want all children to have the chance to play and enjoy this beautiful game, no matter where they started, and I truly believe an idea like Goalpher can help to level the field!”
Martino adds “With everything I do in soccer, I always draw inspiration from Patrice's story. He is the prime example of how providing resources and attention to young children, no matter where they come from or what their background may be, can not only change their future in sport, but also change their lives. Stories like Patrice's hardly exist in American soccer. Sport must be a right for all, not a privilege of few. I’m thrilled to have him join Goalpher as a member of our team, and help him achieve his dream of expanding access to the world's most accessible, and beautiful, game.”
About Goalpher
For his nonprofit, The Over Under Initiative, Martino developed and patented Goalpher, a game-changing subterranean goal system that transforms an average court into a multi-sport surface in seconds. A dynamic and innovative system, when not in use, stores easily and quickly into the surface under a hoop, Goalpher is now installed at 11 sites across 8 cities through The Over Under Initiative.
About Over Under Initiative
Founded in 2018 by former professional soccer player and Warner Bros. Discovery TV analyst broadcaster Kyle Martino, Over Under Initiative is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and wellness of girls and boys by increasing access to sport in urban neighborhoods. By converting basketball courts and other blacktops to multi-sport spaces using a patented, retractable goal, OUI provides greater play opportunities for kids most in need of these proven benefits.
Over Under Initiative has now installed Goalpher and created multi-sport courts in Bridgeport, CT, Anderson, SC, The Bronx, NY, Mesa, AZ, San Diego, CA, Dayton, OH, and New York, NY. After receiving positive feedback from its partner communities and pilot projects, OUI is in the process of expanding across the country to the communities that want and need its innovative solution most. At the core of its mission is ensuring that projects are thoughtfully located as close as possible to where kids are spending most of their time such that the courts are readily accessible.
