Edina Soccer Association 50th anniversary jersey. Photo: Chris Emeott
Local youth find community in soccer programming.
David Beckham, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are all household names for those who follow and admire the sport of soccer. In Edina, however, one name comes to mind while listing soccer powerhouses—Edina Soccer Association (ESA).
Fifty years ago, ESA was founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the overarching goal “to provide all kids of the community an equal opportunity to participate in the game of soccer” while building skills such as good sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork. Edina resident Peggy Mitchell, who is now in her 90s, had five kids go through the program. As one of the original board members, Mitchell recalls the importance of soccer for youth. “It teaches them far more than you can preach to them,” Mitchell says. Now, after five decades and generations of players, ESA has grown to be the largest youth recreational soccer program in Minnesota.
From inspired beginnings to today, Dave Jenson has been an integral part of soccer in our community since ESA started in 1974. He has also been head coach of Edina High School’s varsity boys soccer for 39 years. Photos: Dave Jenson
In 2023, over 4,300 athletes participated in programming, with the support of 500 volunteer coaches, 80 youth contractors and 14 board of directors members. ESA provided 120 scholarships last year to those seeking financial assistance, upholding the promise of accessible soccer for all. With an imprint this size, it comes as no surprise that ESA is highly regarded as a backbone of the community.
Starting as early as Pre-K, kids can join their peers on the turf to learn the basics by running drills and playing short games. From there, leagues are offered for every grade level through 12th grade. And year-round programming allows athletes to remain active even during the off season and to stay connected to teammates.
Generational Athletes
Pete Kostroski is no stranger to soccer, his early years filled with memories of the sport, including with his dad as his coach. “That was the start of the love of the game for me,” Kostroski says. “Some of my fondest memories are playing soccer.”
Growing up in the ESA program, Kostroski says he was well-equipped to play soccer for Edina High School and in college. And now with four daughters of his own, three of whom participated in ESA, Kostroski carries on the legacy of soccer enthusiasts. “My mom was born in Holland, so maybe it’s that European soccer obsession in my blood,” he says, “I feel proud for continuing that tradition with my daughters.”
As with most sports, Kostroski says ESA gives youth of all ages the opportunity to build life and character skills, many of which are naturally intertwined with the game itself. “It’s about building a well-rounded individual,” he says. “What does it mean to be a good teammate? How do you work toward a common goal? How does the team tackle obstacles? These are all important life lessons kids can learn on the field.”
Leadership Leans into Flexibility
In 2020, ESA leadership had its own obstacles to face with COVID-19 surging across the country. Laura Heinmiller, M.D., played soccer in college, and her five kids have all played on teams in ESA. Heinmiller took her involvement a step further when she was elected vice president of the board of directors and assumed the role of president in January 2020. “It was my job to usher the program through the bulk of the pandemic and really try to utilize resources to make it as sustainable and safe as possible,” she says.
Maggie Ligon (9), Marie Heinmiller (8) and Max Dunkel (6) are all smiles on the soccer field. Photo: Chris Emeott
With thousands of kids playing soccer, she had to consider not only the players, but their families, the coaching staff and spectators. Decisions were not taken lightly. As a physician, Heinmiller leveraged her knowledge of and access to the state’s Department of Health recommendations to lead decisions for ESA. “It was so important that people still had a physical outlet but in a controlled and safe way,” she says. “So we sent soccer to them instead.”
New programming called Soccer in a Box offered Zoom classes and individual ball work ideas at home, plus one of the brightly colored, widely recognized ESA jerseys. (If worn to Edina Soccer Night, the shirt gets you free entrance, pizza and cookies.) Although quite different from previous seasons, the tenacity and dedication of the Edina youth was a bright spot in a turbulent time. Heinmiller was presented with the Mayor’s Service to Youth Commendation in 2023 for her originality and perseverance as a leader throughout the pandemic.
Champion of Community Connectedness
Krista Gresham has a long history with ESA (19 years), but her current role as executive director is her most fulfilling yet. What started as an administrative role, continued expanding as her involvement in and affection for the organization deepened.
Joyful celebrations abound. ESA prides itself on community, collaboration, teamwork and the love of the game. Photo: Glenn Gray
Behind the scenes, Gresham works meticulously to put together a registration process that is easy to navigate and a curriculum that delivers on ESA’s core beliefs and promises. A massive undertaking, Gresham thoughtfully plans details, such as teams, coaches, field times, uniforms, player fees, social events, community support, scholarships and more. “We try to keep things local when we can,” Gresham says. “The soccer balls are sourced through an Edina company called EKIN, LLC. Same with the uniforms. Our go-to photography company continues to be Linhoff Photo. At events, we welcome food trucks like Thumbs Cookies or Frozen Loon, both owned by women with kids in ESA.” In addition, ESA donates gently used and new soccer balls every year to Edina elementary schools and abroad to Guatemala through Edina Rotary.
Edina High School junior varsity and varsity soccer players often help at events like ESA’s season kickoff and uniform distribution event, Super Soccer Saturday. On occasion, older players will work with younger players one-on-one to hone certain skills and further their mentor/mentee relationship. When it’s time for high school soccer games, you can find younger players in the stands, cheering for those they admire on the field. The symbiotic relationships are undeniable in full circle, heartwarming moments like these.
Photographer Leah Steidl has shared images from Edina soccer games to the Images of Edina photo contest over the years. Photo: Leah Steidl
“When people move to Edina, they always hear through the grapevine that a great place to start and get connected is through ESA,” Gresham says. Because when it comes down to it, woven seamlessly into the fabric of the city is the sport of soccer, for everyone. And that’s something worth cheering for.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, ESA is collecting memories, photos and messages from those impacted by the program. Send yours to: edinasoccer50@gmail.com.
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