Being a Fort Worth Vaquero now means being a student athlete, too.
Tarrant County College (TCC) announced Friday that it would partner with the Fort Worth Vaqueros to provide a college education to the minor league soccer team’s players, with the Vaqueros ownership and corporate partners covering the tuition. The program, called Kick Start, will begin in the fall, and all players without a college degree will be expected to earn an associate degree from TCC.
Vaqueros owner Michael Hitchcock hinted at the scholarship program when he spoke to the Fort Worth City Council on April 19.
“They all want to be [Cristiano] Ronaldo, Neymar, [Lionel] Messi,” Hitchcock said. “The reality is, it’s a very small percentage for a variety of reasons. We need to make sure that they use the game they love to help them get the education.”
The Vaqueros’ season opener against the Houston Regals takes place Saturday at Texas Wesleyan University’s Martin Field. More information can be found on the Vaqueros’ website.