Young players surprised by Mickey Mouse during Fontana soccer clinic with Empire Strykers

Dozens of kids were having a ball on the soccer field Tuesday when they got an unexpected visit by Mickey Mouse.

About 100 preschool and elementary students joined professional players from the Empire Strykers this week to learn the game of soccer and practice drills.

ABC7 and Disney partnered with the Strykers for a two-day soccer clinic at South Fontana Park, celebrating the power of sports in our communities.

Olympic gold medalist and footballer Marco Fabian was among the Strykers who signed on early to share their love of soccer with the next generation.

Tuesday, parents watching their children play were surprised to see Mickey Mouse suddenly walk on the field, giving hugs and high fives to these young athletes.

Jeff Burum, managing partner of Ontario’s Major Arena Soccer League team, said even if these kids don’t go on to play professionally, they’ll benefit from the team’s lessons on discipline, time management and committing to goals.

"Soccer is a metaphor for and an inspiration to kids in chasing their dreams," Burum said.

Fontana was one of several cities chosen nationally to host sports clinics, as part of ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative and Disney Jr.’s Let’s Play! campaign.

For the second year in a row, the nonprofit Every Kid Sports is partnering with Disney to provide grants to help income-restricted families cover youth sports registration fees for children, ages 3 to 7.

Click here to see if your family is eligible

Executive director Elena Fanaika said the opportunity to play sports presents cascading impacts, especially on our youngest children.

"Play for kids, especially the littles, is so foundational to their skills," Fanaika said. "When we get them to play a sport today, we know that they're more likely to be active for the rest of their life, and be a part of their community."

The Walt Disney Company said it is proud to work with Every Kid Sports, once a small and local effort that has grown to support children in every zip code in the U.S.

"Disney is very much focused on supporting kids, families, and communities all around the globe," said Kelly Camunez, director of corporate social responsibility at Disney Entertainment.

"No matter where a child lives, we want to help them play," Fanaika added.

Disney is the parent company of ABC7 Los Angeles.