On Sunday, November 17, 2024, AYSO EPIC Fillmore program players attended the Section 10’s Bill Keene Memorial EPIC Festival, and Fillmore Region 242, participating for the first time with four EPIC teams in the festival; Lions, Minions, Orange Crush, and Blue. Above are some of this year’s participants. Photo credit Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez.

Pictured above are some of the Blue Sonic Players smiling along with the Grinch as they take a photo to end their 2024 season. Photo credit Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez.

By Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez

Hundreds of AYSO EPIC soccer players came together at Arroyo Vista Recreational Park for Section 10’s Bill Keene Memorial EPIC Festival hosted by AYSO Region 363, Moorpark, a day full of festivities, competition, camaraderie, games, music, food, and plenty of free activities for EPIC families.

EPIC (Everyone Plays In Our Community) is a program within AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) that provides a quality soccer experience for children and adults whose physical or mental disabilities make it difficult to successfully participate on mainstream teams. The EPIC program, which has only been around for three seasons in Fillmore, wrapped up the regular season with over 40 players registered, including three players who played both EPIC and core. EPIC has continued to grow in the Fillmore community with the help of an AMAZING group of sponsors and volunteers, including coaches, referees, buddies, and parents.

The EPIC Festival, formerly known as VIP Festival, had been on hiatus since 2017, and was brought back on Sunday, November 17, with AYSO EPIC teams participating from all over Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, including: Woodland Hills, Palmdale, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Ventura, Fillmore, and more. Fillmore, Region 242, participated for the first time with four EPIC teams in the festival, Lions, Minions, Orange Crush, and Blue Sonics thanks to their amazing coaches Sandra Guerrero, Matthew Hernandez, Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez, Tania Melgoza, and Yvette Moore.

Among the amazing individuals and local businesses who have generously donated goods and services to the Bill Keene Memorial EPIC Festival, include Amazon Fresh (Moorpark), American Trophy, Angel City Football Club, City Auto Body, Costco (Simi Valley), DJ Joey Funk, DJ Ecto 1, Estrella Market, Everything Face Paint, LA Galaxy, Lemontree Embroidery, One Step A La Vez, Rainbow Connection, Simi Valley Challengers, Simi Valley Elks Lodge #2492, SouthWest Heating and Air Conditioning, Susie Q Photography, Thousand Oaks Elks Lodge #2477, Tri-Counties Regional Center, and Viva SuperHeroes Behavior Services.

For more information on EPIC Festival 2025 and the EPIC Fillmore program, visit the websites below, or contact Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez at aysoEPICfillmore@gmail.com.