Kids might find a 6-foot-2-inch, 290-pound football player intimidating, but not when they’re reading a children’s book.
On the morning of Oct. 16, USD football visited Ocean Beach Elementary School to engage with the San Diego youth. Kids in kindergarten through fifth grade met the players and mascots while learning and reading. The kids watched the football team practice at the Torero Stadium.
Maicah Talavou, a senior center for the USD football team, engaged in the team’s community outreach event.
“My teammates and I voluntarily went there and wanted to do an act of kindness and give back to the community of San Diego,” Talavou said. “I got to a couple of the second-graders just asking, ‘Are you in college? I want to play college football.’ That’s what made it even more wholesome.”
The women’s volleyball team also participates in outreach events through a student-led committee.
Eloise McGibben is a senior at USD and a middle blocker on the USD volleyball team.
McGibben recently medically retired in 2026 due to injuries, but she still helps out with the team and organizes community outreach events. She serves on the USD Student Athlete Advocacy Committee (SAAC), where she plans social and community events throughout the year.
“That was, honestly, one of the most impactful things that I have ever experienced in my life, just being able to connect with those girls and hear about their life stories,” said McGibben. “A group actually came to our second home game this season, and a bunch of us got teary-eyed because it made us really happy to see them here supporting us.”
McGibben has helped run events such as the Linda Vista Parade and partnered with organizations like The San Diego Autism Tree and San Diego Juvenile Hall.
Last spring, the USD volleyball team went to the San Diego Juvenile Hall which is one of two San Diego youth detention centers to engage with the girls there by playing volleyball and eating lunch together. McGibben spoke of her experience at the juvenile hall.
“That was, honestly, one of the most impactful things that I have ever experienced in my life, just being able to connect with those girls and hear about their life stories,” McGibben said. “A group actually came to our second home game this season, and a bunch of us got teary-eyed because it made us really happy to see them here supporting us.”
McGibben has been a part of SAAC since she transferred to USD in January 2024. She encourages others to participate in student-run community outreach programs.
“I see a big difference between those who get involved and those who don’t,” McGibben stated. “And I feel like it just makes you such a well-rounded person, and it brings a lot more joy to your sport.”
The men’s soccer team is also heavily involved in community outreach. Last spring, the men’s soccer team as well as swim and dive, softball, football and women’s soccer hosted Inclusive Sport Field Day at Manchester field. The Toreros partnered with the Inclusive Sport Foundation where they played different sports with kids regardless of their abilities.
USD junior Luca Fava is a starting midfielder for the men’s soccer and the mental health chair for the SAAC.
“We did it two years ago, and it was maybe a quarter of the size, so it had grown tremendously,” Fava stated. “It’s special. . . a lot of the guys that helped out with that were all really happy that they did.”
Other than interacting with the youth in the community, The USD women’s track and field team helps run events that interact with a much larger demographic.
The team volunteered at the Linda Vista Multicultural Fair last spring, where they helped with set-up, activities and day-of operations.
Amy O’Connell, a junior at USD, coordinates community outreach events for the cross country team.
O’Connell shared her experience engaging with the community.
“We work a lot with the Linda Vista community, specifically helping out with the Linda Vista Multicultural Fair as well as color in motion,” O’Connell said. “This is a new foundation program, focusing on elementary school kids. We get the kids engaged with each other, sport, and the community around them.”
Next spring, USD athletics will return to two community events: Inclusive Sports Day and the Linda Vista Multicultural Fair, happening April 27, 2027. Both give chances for athletes and neighbors to participate in community outreach efforts.
Join the conversation