Soccer is dubbed as the world’s most popular sport, and the LSU soccer community reflects a melting pot of varying cultures for Baton Rouge residents and LSU students.
LSU Pick Up Soccer, a Facebook group with 1,300 members, facilitates pick-up soccer games at various campus locations such as the Parade Ground and the UREC Field Complex at River Road.
The schedule of the pick-up games is weather dependent, but the group plays as often as possible, sometimes every day of the week.
The group is open to players of all skill sets and backgrounds, said mechanical engineering senior Alejandro Leyton. Leyton, an active participant in the group, began playing pick-up soccer at LSU his sophomore year.
“You don’t really need much to play,” Leyton said. “You don’t even need goals to be honest. You just set down two shoes, and you get a goal.”
Leyton said the group continues to grow and bring students from many cultures together with a common goal — to play soccer.
“On the field, you can hear at least three or four different languages being spoken at the same time,” he said.
The Facebook group consists of a wide range of participants, including international students, LSU alumni, Baton Rouge locals and even LSU faculty members. Leyton said meeting people from across the world also lets the players to learn about different cultures.
Petroleum engineering freshman and LSU Pick Up Soccer newcomer Jeffrey Ortego said he was surprised at the dedication and passion of the group’s members. He found out about the group through his intramural soccer team at the beginning of the school year and has been attending the games since.
“They’re not just a bunch of ball hogs that are just trying to do their thing,” Ortego said. “Everybody is trying to play as a team and get better, and that’s what I enjoy about it.”
Ortego said watching games is a good break from studying, and it allows him to relieve stress and focus on having fun.
Although many of the participants are men, women are encouraged to play.
“It is definitely diverse,” said LSU alumna Lauren Everett, who graduated in December 2013 with a degree in civil engineering. “Everyone here seems really friendly and excited to play soccer, so it’s an awesome environment to be in if it’s just for a fun little pick-up game.”

Gallery • 13 Photos

Ari Ross

Petroleum Engineering junior Eric Eun takes on Ibrahim Matri on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, during a pickup soccer game at the UREC Field Complex.