David Beckham. Landon Donovan. Former LA Galaxy Star Clint Mathis.

What do these elite athletes have to do with recycling? Everything. Just ask the Anaheim Impact, a boys under-14 soccer team from the Anaheim Soccer Association and the winners of Recycle. Goal., a recycling competition among soccer teams throughout Southern California.

The Impact won by recycling the most material by weight over the course of the 9-week competition. They collected and recycled more than 13,000 pounds of materials to triumph over 24 other teams.

By winning the competition, the Impact attended a Galaxy game and got to high-five the likes of Beckham and Donovan as the players took the field. They also received a gift card and skills clinic conducted by Clint Mathis.

I was lucky enough to attend the clinic, and I was impressed with these young athletes and their dedication to the game.

I’m also impressed that organizations are dedicated to these young athletes and are willing to reward them for their recycling efforts. We all win with competitions like Recycle. Goal. Program sponsors Keep California Beautiful, American Chemistry Council, Dick’s Sporting Goods and AEG/LA Galaxy know that the rewards for recycling will last long after the gift cards are spent and the clinic ends. The rewards for recycling will last a lifetime and lead to cleaner communities and healthier cities.

And the lessons stretch beyond just one team. All of the teams that competed in Recycle. Goal. combined to recycle more than 26,000 pounds of materials, including about 2,600 pounds of plastics.

Congratulations once again to the winners of Recycle. Goal. and to all of the teams that participated. I can’t wait to see this program grow in the future and I hope to be a part of it.

Respectfully,

State Assemblyman Jose Solorio

State Assemblyman Jose Solorio represents the 69th Assembly District, which includes the city of Santa Ana and parts of Anaheim and Garden Grove.