Ta b l e o f
Content Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sport
PG. 04-05
Building Robots, Building Futures How VEX Robotics Is Shaping the Next Generation of Innovators
PG. 06-07
Concacaf Gold Cup A Crucial Precursor for the FIFA Wo r l d C u p 2 6 ™ i n N o r t h Te x a s
PG. 08
Pros at Home
PG. 09
Latest from the Commission
PG. 10
Upcoming Events
PG. 11
Vo l u n t e e r V i c t o r i e s - G o l d C u p
PG. 12-13
Community Champions: M a y o r ’ s Yo u t h S p o r t s Ticket Program
nts
s Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission •
BUILDING ROBOTS, BUILDING FUTURES: HOW VEX ROBOTICS IS SHAPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS
By: Ben Harbuck
Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sport For the past three springs, a quiet hum has filled the downtown Dallas air. It’s not the sound of city traffic or honking horns, but something entirely different—a buzz of creativity, teamwork, and engineering. From the wheels of flight cases to the clack of robot gears, the sound of the VEX Robotics World Championship begins to rise. Imagine a celebration of innovation, as tens of thousands of students from all over the world come together to showcase the hard work and dedication they’ve poured into their robots over the past year. Presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF), the VEX Robotics World Championship brings students, coaches, and mentors together in a global celebration of STEM education and hands-on learning. For students, coaches, and their families, VEX Robotics is more than just a competition—it’s a dynamic blend of engineering, teamwork, and realworld problem-solving that prepares students for success in STEM and beyond. This year, the stories emerging from the competition floor show just how powerful the VEX Robotics experience can be. One story sprouts from down the street, at the Talented and Gifted (TAG) School in Pleasant Grove. Robotics is a core part of the school’s extracurricular activities, and this year, two teams are representing Dallas ISD at the VEX Robotics World Championship. One team is an all-girls squad, coached by Patricia Cortez, and the other, an allboys team, led by her husband and fellow educator, Omar Cortez.
Patricia’s “Girl Powered” team has had a challenging season, one that has largely been defined by perseverance. “Things go wrong ALL the time,” one of her students shared. “Robots break, codes don’t run, parts fall off—and we’ve learned how to stay calm in stressful situations, figure it out, and fix it together.” These young engineers are learning to problem-solve under pressure, think creatively, and support each other through the ups and downs of the building process. And that experience is paying off not only in the competition arena but in the classroom as well. “That kind of thinking has helped us in school too,” the student added, “especially in math and science.” For Patricia, the transformation is evident. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned,” she said, “is that no one person can do it all—and that’s actually a strength, not a weakness. Teamwork isn’t just about doing your part; it’s about helping everyone else shine too.” Meanwhile, Omar has been guiding his team through a season of growth. His group has
4 | Building Robots, Building Futures 4 | 1 0 Ye a r s o f t h e D a l l a s S p o r t s C o m m i s s i o n
s Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission •
developed a reputation for sharp strategy and quick communication—but those skills didn’t appear overnight. “At the start, most of them are just trying to figure things out,” Omar said. “But over time, they start stepping up. They learn how to manage their time, meet build and programming deadlines before tournaments, and keep each other on track.” One of his students put it simply: “VEX Robotics has helped me improve my leadership and communication skills. I’ve learned how to talk to my teammates, ask for help, present our robot to judges—all of that has helped me in everyday life, too.” That’s the power of robotics—it creates a space where young people learn to lead, collaborate, and communicate with purpose. But the impact of VEX Robotics isn’t confined to North Texas. More than 4,000 miles away, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, another team has found their place on the global stage. Coached by Josh Almoite, the Bolivian squad will bring their robot and big dreams to Dallas. Like so many others, they too carry a story of persistence.
“There was one week when our robot’s arm wasn’t functioning correctly,” the team recalled. “We redesigned it twice, and it still wouldn’t lift the game piece properly. Instead of getting frustrated, we gathered around a whiteboard, broke down the problem into smaller parts, and brainstormed new ideas.” One teammate suggested trying a different gear; another pointed out tension in the wiring. After several prototypes and plenty of patience, they finally got it working. “That moment taught us the importance of perseverance and communication,” they said. Their coach, Josh, summed it up with a perspective shared by mentors around the world: “Failure is the curriculum in robotics,” he said. “It’s not just a bump in the road—it is the road. Setbacks teach students to iterate, reflect, and innovate.” This mindset—of experimentation, resilience, and collaboration—defines the VEX Robotics experience. It’s not just about coding or engineering; it’s about learning how to navigate failure, communicate with a team, and lead with empathy. As the lights shine down on the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship, the true celebration will be of the students, leaders, problem-solvers, and future innovators. Because at its core, the VEX Robotics World Championship is not just about building robots—it’s about building futures. To Learn more about the VEX Robotics World Championships CLICK HERE.
Building Robots, Building Futures | 5
CONCACAF GOLD CUP
A CRUCIAL PRECURSOR FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP 26™ IN NORTH TEXAS
By: Steve Davis
Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sport
The value of this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup as a test kitchen and preparation tool for next year’s FIFA World Cup is difficult to overestimate – with all that value shared locally and nationally. Around here, the Gold Cup will provide yet more information for North Texas organizers leaning into their mission of creating a memorable, comprehensive FIFA World Cup 26™ experience. As for impact across the land, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, with pressure building after a series of concerning results, will use the summer tournament to chisel itself into a better version than the one seen lately. Indeed, the clock ticks ever louder ahead of the FIFA World Cup 26™, surely the most important moment in U.S. soccer history, and everyone wants to be tight and right for their part.
LOCAL ORGANIZERS The Concacaf Gold Cup, held every two years since 1963, is the continental championship for men’s national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The United States, Mexico and Canada will be favored this summer,
6 | Gold Cup
with Panama and Saudi Arabia (competing as a guest in the 16-team field) most capable of displacing one of the regional heavyweights. North Texas has hosted Gold Cup matches in every tournament since 2007, either at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium or Frisco’s Toyota Stadium. So facility officials and local organizers are certainly familiar with the event, although this one is sure to have additional eyes on it given the weight of what’s ahead in ‘26. AT&T Stadium’s capacity of between 80,000100,000 is the largest of 14 Gold Cup host stadiums across 11 metropolitan U.S. and Canadian areas. Mexico vs. Suriname highlights a June 18 doubleheader inside the Dallas Cowboys gleaming facility. The United States meets Haiti on June 22 in a second AT&T Stadium doubleheader. While the organizing bodies are different – Concacaf operates the Gold Cup while FIFA and the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee will steer next year’s World Cup – there’s sure to be some crossover on resources and logistical approach. Some of the training sites, for instance, will have an opportunity for fine tuning, and certain
s Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • transportation routes can be given a test run. It will also be an opportunity for the local organizing group – now almost fully built out with teams overseeing marketing, media/communications, social media, security, accommodations, training sites, the International Broadcast Center, legacy programs and more – to further educate the larger population on the scale and scope of what’s ahead in 2026.
MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S U.S. TEAM:ON THE SPOT The Gold Cup is a major pressure point for the United States Men’s National Team, now under the direction of Mauricio Pochettino: it’s the last opportunity for truly competitive matches before things get very serious in June of 2026 at the World Cup. While teams around the world can harden themselves through continental qualifying in Europe, South America, Africa, etc., host nations receive automatic bids. Thus, any benefit to gain from those pressure-packed, high stakes qualifiers, gets stripped away. Any honeymoon for Pochettino ended in March with a loud Concacaf Nations League thud. Supporters and media groaned at losses to Canada and Panama, asking harder questions about an approach that seemed overly casual and about the overall state of the team. Host nations enjoy a big advantage in World Cups, so the expectations were running high for the United States. They were, at least, before a 1-0 loss to Panama in the tournament semifinals at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and then a 2-1 loss to Canada in the third-
place match. That was the first U.S. loss on home soil to its northern neighbor since 1957. Pochettino took a philosophical approach. “It’s all a process we need to change, and I don’t want to say that I’m happy — don’t take me wrong,” he said. “But if there is something negative about a result, something to learn, it’s better now, because I think we have time.” For this summer’s Gold Cup the United States shares an opening round group with Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago and Saudi Arabia. The top pair from each four-team group moves into the tournament quarterfinals. U.S. captain Christian Pulisic and his teammates will certainly be expected to advance out of group play and into the tournament’s elimination rounds, at the very least. The launch point for optimism is that Pochettino will have access to most of his important players, with only a couple of exceptions: Tim Weah and native Texas midfielder Weston McKennie will be with their team at the FIFA Club World Cup, going on simultaneously. Pulisic is expected to be available to lead the U.S. attack; he’s approaching the finish line of an outstanding season with Italian Serie A giant AC Milan. The Americans’ Premier League posse is mostly in good form: Linchpin midfielder Tyler Adams is enjoying a run of good health at Bournemouth; Left back Antonee Robinson is wearing the captain’s armband these days at Fulham, and; Center back Chris Richards, who spent time in FC Dallas’ acclaimed academy, has moved up the ladder into valued starter status this year at Crystal Palace. This summer’s Gold Cup is more than a tournament—it’s a preview of what’s to come in 2026. Get your tickets HERE.
Gold
Cup | 7
PROS AT HOME IN
MAY
8 | Pros At Home
L a t e st
f ro m
t h e
THE COMMISSION DSC Partners with SMU to present the Inaugural Global Sports Business Summit Join us for a dynamic day of panel sessions and networking on May 5th, 2025, at the Collins Executive Education Center on SMU’s Campus
Sessions include: Streaming Wars & Sports Media: The Future of Fan Engagement Sponsorship 2.0: The Evolution of Brand Partnerships in Sports AI, Analytics, & Automation: The Tech Revolutionizing Sports Business Major Events: FIFA World Cup 26™, the Olympics, & the Future of Mega Sports Events
Our incredible lineup of speakers will be announced in the coming days. Spots are extremely limited; you won’t want to miss it!
REGISTER HERE
Join the Mayor’s Youth Sports Ticket Program Sign up now to join the Mayor’s Youth Sports Ticket Program! Dallas youth ages 12-17 are eligible to receive FREE tickets to local sporting events through the program. Find out more about the program today at DallasSports.org
APPLY TO BE PART OF THE PROGRAM
Latest From DSC | 9
Upcoming events 10 | Upcoming Events
VEX ROBOTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MAY 6-14 KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON CONVENTION CENTER
DALLAS SPRING SHOWCASE MAY 9 - 11 MONEYGRAM SOCCER PARK
NEXT GENERATION CUP MAY 15 - 18 MONEYGRAM SOCCER PARK
DALLAS BIKE RIDE MAY 17 CITY HALL PLAZA
REGISTER FOR DALLAS BIKE RIDE
THE DANCE COMBINE 2025 - TRIBE 99 MAY 16-18 FLOWER MOUND HIGH SCHOOL
E-SPORTS NEXT MAY 22-23 OMNI DALLAS HOTEL
DREAMHACK DALLAS
MAY 23-25 KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON CONVENTION CENTER
UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: •
2025 VEX Robotics World Championship - May 6-14 2025
LEARN MORE
Concacaf Gold Cup Tickets On-Sale Now! This summer, international soccer takes over AT&T Stadium in Arlington as the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup brings worldclass competition to DFW! On June 18, catch a thrilling doubleheader featuring Costa Rica vs. Dominican Republic and a powerhouse matchup between Suriname and Mexico. Then on June 22, the excitement continues as Team USA faces Haiti, followed by Dominican Republic vs Suriname. SECURE YOUR SEATS
Vo l u n t e e r V i c t o r i e s - G o l d C u p | 1 1
GAME ON
THE MAYOR’S YOUTH SPORTS TICKET PROGRAM IS BIGGER THAN EVER By: Alex Gilbert
Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports
The Dallas Sports Commission (DSC) strongly believes that sports make our world better on and off the court. As a small piece of the Dallas sports landscape, our team works hard to create once-ina-lifetime experiences, unique sports opportunities, and community initiatives. One such initiative is the Mayor’s Youth Sports Ticket Program (MYSTP). Launched in September of 2022, the program has continually connected young Dallas residents ages 12-17 to the exhilarating world of local sports. The program has become a cornerstone in our community, providing youth with access to live sporting events, enriching their experiences and inspiring a lasting love for sports. Since its inception, the MYSTP has made significant strides, distributing
1 2 | M a y o r ’ s Yo u t h S p o r t s T i c k e t P r o g r a m
over 15,000 tickets and engaging 1,500 participants. This success is a direct result of the unwavering support from 35 partner organizations, including names like the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, AT&T Stadium, Dallas Sidekicks, Frisco Roughriders, the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and many more. These partnerships have been essential in expanding the program’s reach and ensuring every eligible youth can experience the magic of live sports. ACTIVE MYSTP PARTNERS Allen Americans – ECHL, American Airlines Center, CONCACAF, Dallas Baptist University, Dallas Cowboys/AT&T Stadium, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Sidekicks, Dallas Stars, Dallas Trinity FC, Dallas Wing, FC Dallas, First Responder Bowl, Frisco Roughriders, Globe Life Field, MEXTour, National Soccer Hall of Fame, PGA of America, SMU, State Fair Classic, Texas Legends, Texas Motor Speedway, Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas Rangers, The Ascendent LPGA, University of Dallas, University of Texas at Dallas, Arlington Renegades – UFL.
Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports Commission • Dallas Sports
“We’re excited to continue to facilitate this program to benefit the youth of our community,” said Monica Paul, Executive Director with the Dallas Sports Commission. “One of our primary goals as an organization is to provide opportunity through sport to our community, and we’re thrilled to extend those efforts through the Mayor’s Youth Sports Ticket Program.” “Professional sports bind us together as a city,” said Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson. “Walk into any school in Dallas, and you’ll see kids proudly wearing the jerseys of their hometown heroes. These athletes inspire civic pride and teach our youth the value of discipline, resilience, and teamwork. That’s why I am proud to partner with the Dallas Sports Commission to offer more of our city’s youth the chance to witness the excitement of Dallas sports firsthand.” The program has opened doors to new sports, with many participants discovering interests they hadn’t previously considered, like Kristy Serrano and her 13-year-old son, Diego. Kristy shared, “The Mayor’s Youth Sports Ticket Program has given our family the opportunity to attend sporting events we might not have ever been able to see. It has introduced us to sports we didn’t know anything about before we attended them!” “Being in the program is a great opportunity for all children,” said Karen McQueen. “My son has been exposed to games and activities that he would not usually think of attending. Without the
program, we would not be aware that events were occurring in the first place.” Karen’s son, Justin, is 16 years old and has been a part of the program for over a year. MYSTP is not simply about attending games; it is an avenue for personal growth, fostering teamwork, leadership, and a sense of belonging among Dallas youth. The DSC’s ongoing commitment to community engagement aims to make sports accessible to all young individuals in Dallas, reinforcing that sports can unite, inspire, and transform lives. The Mayor’s Youth Sports Ticket Program is just one of many initiatives by the Dallas Sports Commission aimed at enhancing the daily lives of local residents. At the heart of the DSC’s mission is a commitment to providing enriching experiences that resonate beyond the sports arena, creating positive change and benefitting dayto-day life throughout the community. Through various programs, the DSC strives to promote educational growth, community involvement, and cultural enrichment, contributing to a thriving and dynamic Dallas. In addition to the MYSTP, the Commission spearheads literacy programs, legacy projects, and a robust volunteer program. For more information about the MYSTP, please visit our website here.
M a y o r ’ s Yo u t h S p o r t s T i c k e t P r o g r a m | 1 3