STATESBORO, Ga. – While South Georgia Tormenta FC and Aspen Aerogels, a technology leader in sustainability and electrification solutions, seem to have no mutual connection on paper, both organizations have a common goal – to contribute to the community and advance the growth of soccer around the 912 area, more specifically, in Statesboro, Georgia.
Soccer (or fùtbol, as it is also known around the world) is played by 250 million players in over 200 countries, making it the world’s most popular sport. It is only a matter of time before fùtbol becomes America’s top sport, and Tormenta FC is ahead of the game – from winning the 2022 USL W League title to winning the 2022 USL League One title, to playing U.S. heavyweights like Inter Miami CF in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. With many milestones being hit throughout 2022, Aspen Aerogels made a serious commitment to helping the growth of the game by giving many local Statesboro girls the opportunity to play under the Tormenta FC Academy wing.
As the relationship between Aspen Aerogels and Tormenta FC continues to grow, the women’s game in the region is bound to benefit and produce high-quality talent for generations to come.
We sat down with Aspen Aerogels’ Senior Director of Operations, Brian McCarter, to talk about what the company brings to the community and how it is growing the sport of soccer in the region.
Welcome to Statesboro, Aspen Aerogels!
Why is it important to support the local female talent?
“Aspen Aerogels’ company values include upholding the highest standards for diversity and inclusion. We recently launched Aspen Women’s Initiative, a grassroots employee resource group, designed to build awareness about the value of gender equality in the workplace and to support women’s advancement into leadership roles. One of the many ways that we can ‘give back’ as an organization and develop future women leaders is to support youth girls’ programs in our communities.”
How important is it for Tormenta FC to guide the local talent to be their best version the right way?
“Supporting Tormenta FC and their passion for youth sports is a way Aspen Aerogels can help support the community, help develop local youth, and create a culture of caring.”
How important is it for Aspen Aerogels to communicate to the community about their involvement through sports?
“Touching the hearts and minds of the community by supporting youth in sports helps establish Aspen Aerogels as a staple in the region, and as a company our folks are proud to work at.”
What is something you want the community to know about Aspen Aerogels?
“Aspen Aerogels is proud to be a part of the community; we’re thankful for the opportunity to provide generational careers to the region and helping us provide a more sustainable future for all generations to come.”
How important of an impact can Aspen have on the community moving forward?
“As a leader in our industry, Aspen Aerogels takes seriously our opportunity to improve the lives of others with our sustainability solutions. We similarly believe that dedicated efforts to support our communities results in lasting positive impacts for many, and we look forward to engaging in meaningful ways with the Statesboro region.”
Anything else you would like to tell us about regarding Aspen Aerogels?
“Giving back is a core part of our company. We are proud to make Statesboro our home and look forward to many opportunities to make our communities better.”
