1 Torran Korman
From: City Council
Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2026 4:02 PM
To: Mary Gourley
Cc: Oriana Hart; Erik Billing; Torran Korman; Elissa Overton; John Jay; Jane Riley; Victoria Henkel; Zulema Higgins
Subject: FW: Sebastopol Soccer Court
From: Silvio < >
Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2026 3:21 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Sebastopol Soccer Court
To the Sebastopol City Council
Dear Council Members,
I'm writing in support of WESCO United's proposal to develop a dedicated soccer court at the Youth Annex on Morris Street. As a member of the recreation committee and a parent in our soccer community, I want to speak to what this means for Sebastopol.
Soccer runs deep here. Decades ago, Herb Ziemer started a soccer league in Sebastopol. His son Marcus became a legendary coach at Sonoma State, spending 35 years building a program that touched thousands of lives. Marcus passed away just weeks ago, and his legacy endures in every coach and player he touched. What better way to honor that legacy than to bring a permanent home for soccer back to Sebastopol?
Right now, the World Cup is coming to the United States, and a USL professional team is coming to Santa Rosa. But beyond the excitement of the moment, soccer does something real for kids and families. It builds community. It builds confidence. A child who grows up playing soccer in Sebastopol will carry that with them—literally around the world. They'll land in another country and instantly make friends through the language of the game. That's what Marcus understood. That's what Herb started.
A dedicated soccer court at the Youth Annex would anchor that legacy. WESCO will fund this entirely— no city cost, no tax impact. We're asking only for permission to use a city space and we'll build and maintain it ourselves.
2 In the meantime, the Hotel Sebastopol group has generously offered to host movable courts for free for two years across from the city plaza—a chance to experience what this looks like.
We're committed to the work and the funding. We just need the space.
Thank you for considering this.
Sincerely,
Silvio Carrillo
Sebastopol, CA 95472