Love, Peace, and Futból is building a community using local parks
FRESNO, Calif. — For Pedro Navarro and Vicente Chavez, Love, Peace, Futból started as a simple idea, just getting people together to play futsal. More than a decade later, that idea has grown into something much bigger.
Love, Peace, Futból is a local nonprofit that organizes small-sided futsal games twice a week a week on Mondays and Wednesdays, providing players with free space to play. Futsal is a lot like soccer. It’s usually played on a hard surface, like a tennis court, emphasizing technical skill and ball control.
Since the passage of Measure P in 2018, co-founders Navarro and Chavez said they’ve seen significant growth as more attention has been directedpassing of Measure P in 2018, they say they’ve seen a major boost in growth as more attention has gone toward improving local park spaces.
But the journey hasn’t been easy.
Over the years, organizers have had to adapt to poor conditions, mixed surfaces, and limited space. At one point, they even attended Fresno City Council meetings when one of their weekly spots was taken over by another local group.
Still, every week, they continue to show up for their community.
“People want the space to ball, you know? I feel like it’s been a it’s been a while since, Fresno’s needed this type of, you know, facilities,” Chavez said ,“People have been playing at tennis courts, you know, since way back.”
Whether it’s concrete, turf, or grass, Love Peace Futbol has kept the game free and accessible for anyone looking to play.
That accessibility is what keeps players coming back.
At Logan Park, Elkin Escalante is one of many who now shows up for Wednesday night pickup games.
“We get out of work and we’re trying to do something nice, you know, trying to have fun after work.” Escalante said.
For many players, stepping onto the court means leaving behind the stress of the day, even if it’s just for a little while.
That environment has also started to attract local content creators who want to capture an authentic experience.
Gabriel Monteiro, a Brazilian native, Fresno Pacific University alum, and Valley FC player, has taken steps toward creating content for a local audience.
He credits Love Peace Futbol as a big part of his growth.
“So I started back in January and I already grew significantly, taking into consideration that it’s been three to four months now.” Monteiro said, “I’m able to record interviews with some of the players. Some of them know a lot about soccer, some of them don’t and that creates engagement online.”
What started as simple games between friends has turned into a growing community and a platform for people to connect.
Looking ahead, that growth could get another boost.
A major renovation project at Roeding Regional Park is set to bring new futsal, pickleball, and basketball courts to the area as part of a $1.5 million investment.
For the people behind Love Peace Futbol, it’s another step toward building the kind of space Fresno players have been asking for.