A School’s Mini-Pitch where play is 11-Hours a Day
Buena Vista Horace Mann K–8 installs a mini pitch used up to 11 hours daily, transforming student recreation and campus activity.
THE CHALLENGE
A Campus With Almost
No Space to Play
Buena Vista Horace Mann K–8 sits in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District — a vibrant neighborhood but with almost no usable outdoor space for kids. The yard had to serve hundreds of students with no green space for recess or PE.
As Principal Claudia DeLarios Morán shared, “We were a school in the middle of a concrete jungle… very little space.”
With limited room to move, students lacked a safe, structured area to run, reset, and connect. The school needed a space that could support everyone — including younger grades, newcomers, girls, and non-binary students — and offer a reliable place for daily play and movement.
THE SOLUTION
A Mini-Pitch Designed for High-Impact Daily Use
Urban Soccer Park installed a 50 ft × 70 ft enclosed mini-pitch, turning a small stretch of asphalt into a safe, structured space the school could finally use all day — for recess, PE, SEL support, newcomer integration, and after-school play.
The project also gained key backing from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, who recognized the mini-pitch as a meaningful equity investment for the school community.
The mini-pitch now provides:
Safe, contained play for all grade levels
Easier, more consistent supervision
Durable surfacing built for constant use
Flexible programming across the entire school day
Quiet operation that fits seamlessly into the neighborhood
KEY IMPACTS
Transformative Results for Buena Vista Horace Mann K–8
How the Mini-Pitch Elevated Daily Life Across the Entire School Community
COMMUNITY
A Space for Inclusion & Connection
The mini-pitch supports student wellbeing by offering a structured space to reset and regulate. It also helps newcomer students build instant social connections. As Nick Chandler shared, “A newcomer student… can immediately enter their social scene.”
It also strengthens equity on campus by providing safe, dedicated access for girls and non-binary students. Claudia emphasized its impact: “Our most marginalized students finally have something beautiful and functional.”
And the neighborhood has embraced it — “The silence from our neighbors is feedback… the lack of complaints is data,” Claudia said.
EXPLORE
Part of a Growing Movement
Explore how communities nationwide are turning compact areas into
meaningful spaces for play and belonging.
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