Meet EP Sports Academy
The integration of community and sports has always been important to Krysta Merceron. She started her competitive soccer club soon after graduating from UT Austin and has been involved in that for the last 11 years.
Finding a home at Easton Park
When Krysta’s Realtor showed her a home in Easton Park, she knew she was home. “It was right up my alley,” she says. “It had a lot of young professionals and a lot of amenities and trails. It was an active neighborhood – I knew it was the right fit.”
From soccer to multi-sport
Krysta moved into her Pacesetter home in Easton Park’s Skyline neighborhood in 2020. In 2021, she founded EP Sports Academy. “We soft-launched during the pandemic with a focus on soccer, and officially launched in 2022,” Krysta says. “We got great feedback from the community and expanded into a multi-sports organization.”
Classes, camps, and more
Today, EP Sports Academy offers a broad range of camps and classes for kids starting at age 2, including soccer, martial arts, yoga movement and mindfulness, and speed and agility. “A lot of families come to us for weekly training and classes, but we also offer camps anytime school is out of session, even one-day student holidays,” Krysta says. “We use sports as a vehicle in our curriculum to improve agility and coordination and help with equilibrium and flexibility, all to help kids reach development milestones.”
Mental benefits as well as physical
Krysta recognizes that the mental benefits of sports are as valuable as the physical ones. “We implement leadership building and team concepts and get kids learning about how to deal with emotions. We keep a small instructor-to-player ratio so kids can get individualized attention and build confidence in their sport and in life.”
Building young leaders
In the past year, EP Sports Academy launched a Junior Leadership Program and has been working alongside Del Valle High School’s National Honor Society. “We really wanted to have a pathway for players to give back in a meaningful way – while we, as coaches, continue to guide and work with them as they enter adulthood.” Krysta says. “Now, high school students are able to work side-by-side with lead coaches in assisting with our programming and serving as role models and mentors for our younger participants. Our leaders get valuable skills and resume-building experience.”
Fun for grown-ups, too
In a community as active as Easton Park, it was only natural that the parents of her young students would start requesting hang-outs of their own. In the past year, EP Sports Academy has added weekly pick-up style soccer and volleyball programs for adults in the neighborhood. “We wanted pick-up style play for adults to come in without the commitment that other leagues require,” Krysta says. “People like it because it works around their schedule, and we’ve really created a tight-knit group that shows up each week. We have a Friendsgiving potluck every year and last year we had around 60 people! There was so much food, and everything was homemade!”
Growing with the community
Krysta recognizes that Easton Park was the perfect place for her to build this one-of-a-kind sports organization. “We’re growing with the community and trying to keep the same ideas and ideals that Easton Park holds,” she says. “We’re in a unique geographical area here in Easton Park, and the sense of community is incredibly strong. We’re always trying to figure out different ways to bring the community together by building strong individuals, physically and mentally. We’ve developed so many great relationships, and we want to continue to provide strong programming.”
Want to live in a neighborhood that offers amazing programming like EP Sports Academy? Come find your dream home here in Easton Park.
