Out of all the reasons I loved being a kid growing up in New York City, my favorite one was being exposed at a young age to people from all different corners of the world. I had a very colorful international upbringing, and it was through playing soccer at the parks and for local clubs that I became exposed to different social backgrounds and realities. Soccer was the reason I became obsessed with the idea of traveling around the world.

My fascination with Brazilian soccer and overall culture began even before I visited the country for the first time. The free flowing and passionate Brazilian soccer style taught me a great deal about the country’s unique culture. It opened my eyes to a new level of creativity and self-expression. I started to understand soccer as a powerful art form that could change people’s lives as much as it changed my own. When I first visited Brazil, my experience with soccer fundamentally shifted. Whether it was playing soccer on the beach in Copacabana, watching a game at Maracanã or playing in the streets of Sao Paulo, I knew I wasn’t the same person anymore. I got to see the way the sport weaved itself throughout Brazilian culture, exposing me to an entirely new way of life. I was hooked.

- Doug Rosencrans, Founder of Ginga Athletics