By Kimie Wagle
Age 11
KidScoop Media Correspondent
On June 14, 2025, I was honored to cover the Angel City FC vs North Carolina Courage FC soccer game at BMO stadium. The stadium is located in the heart of Los Angeles by the California Science Center. The game celebrated Juneteenth and Black joy. Angel City also gave out “Immigrant City” shirts to celebrate our community. In the opening ceremony, Serafia performed the Black National Anthem called Lift Every Voice and Sing. Angel City sadly lost the game 2-1. However, they tried very hard and were inspiring to watch.
I had a chance to interview two amazing soccer players named Hannah Stambaugh and Miyabi Moriya. They are players from Japan, and I had the opportunity to interview them in Japanese. Hannah joined the team in August 2024 as a goalie. She is very friendly and energetic. She said that she started playing soccer when she was seven years old and her favorite soccer player is a goalie named Ayumi Kaihori. Her advice to young players is to enjoy playing the game, and to observe and follow good players. She says she calms her nerves before games by talking and having fun with her teammates. Hannah loves Los Angeles for its sunny weather and enjoys going to 10 Speed Coffee. She also said that she joined NWSL because it is one of the largest women’s soccer leagues with greater fan interest and attendance at the games.
Miyabi Moriya joined Angel City in March 2025 as a right back. She started playing soccer when she was 5 years old when she would tag along to her brother’s soccer practice. His coach bribed her with candy to join their practice. Miyabi’s favorite soccer player is Atsuto Uchida,a former player and right back. Miyabi’s advice to young players is to work hard, watch lots of professional games and the skills of the players. She also said that she does not feel nervous during games because she imagines doing good plays. Furthermore, she likes to listen to music from the artist Hikaru Utada. She likes to eat in Koreatown and enjoys all the different Asian food in Los Angeles. She thinks that the main difference between the NWSL and Japanese women’s soccer league is the power and speed of the players. She must do more muscle training to better deal with the physicalness of the game.
I had an amazing time at the BMO stadium. The game was thrilling to watch, and the Angel City players fought a good game. I also like that the team embraced its diversity. I am happy that I was able to communicate with two players from Japan in their native language.
