The ABQ Accent · City of Albuquerque - Office of Civic Engagement

The ABQ Accent | EP 42 - Phia Smith

February 18, 2026·32 min·1 clip

Only fully-scholarshiped USL academy in America—every athlete gets free development path.

The room opens gently. Mariah Harrison and Smith ease into Monday with a season ticket holder flag or scarf, some color, and the rhythm of two people getting comfortable before the real details arrive. The season is close. Smith is already thinking about it, but Harrison gives the person a little space before moving into the practical stuff. Then the foundation work gets concrete. Top Soccer is a six-week, all-inclusive soccer program for students who may not often get the chance to train as athletes. Smith keeps the focus on ability instead of age. Groups are shaped so each set of athletes can move through its own curriculum. Volunteers matter here. A buddy stays with one athlete and helps with safety and enjoyment across the program. Coaches guide groups of 10 athletes. Smith makes the ask feel doable: people do not have to be professional athletes or experienced coaches, because training is part of the program. The support network is part of the story too. Carrie Tingley, Prism Autism Society, Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Kramer Fields, and New Mexico Youth Soccer Association help make those Sundays happen. Harrison hears the invitation personally. Her question about a mid-March start and volunteer training beforehand turns into the local question of what she might be doing on Sundays. The ending lands back on connection. Smith says her passion is people, and the conversation lets that line breathe. The Sandias, the Academy work, and Harrison's gratitude make the close feel like a welcome, not a pitch.

As heard by us

A warm local interview that turns a soccer program into a clear call to volunteer.

Maraih Harrison keeps a Monday conversation with Fia Smith grounded and easy to follow, moving from the season ahead into Smith's work as executive director of the Somos Unidos Foundation.

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Why you'd press play

Top Soccer gets a warm Monday-morning ABQ Accent volunteer pitch.

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