Zoe's Week: From First-Timer to Finals

I've been trying to get my kids into foosball for a while now. I'm not forcing them, but trying to make it cool and fun. I practice at home hoping they will play. Zachary was into it. But my daughter Zoe? She has only played about 30 minutes total in her life, maybe.


Enter Mike Stahl from Foosball Clubs USA, and the the McDonald's New York Metro Foosball Youth Series. Everything changed for my family in the span of one week.


Sunday: Brooklyn Qualifier

I signed Zachary and Zoe up for the qualifier in Brooklyn. I wasn't sure what to expect. Zoe had never played in a tournament before. She'd never really played at all. She actually resisted going in the first place, but family outings are rare, so we really encouraged her to go.


To my surprise Zoe took 3rd place and got a huge medal. She was super proud and excited! Somehow Zachary finished 4th, which was brutal because he was the only player consistently trying to pass and set up shots.


Jim convinced Kim that there was one more qualifier in NJ the next day, and that the competition level would be much closer to Zoe's skill level. She was excited because if she did well, she could win another medal!


Monday: New Jersey – The Last Qualifier

We drove out to New Jersey the next day for the final qualifier of the series — last chance to make it to the finals.


Zoe ended up playing goalie most of the entire time. She was blocking and scoring. I was super nervous during the first round. But as the rounds of the Monster DYP (playing to 3 points) progressed it was obvious that Zoe was leading. I kept quiet and just encouraged her to keep fighting. After about 20 rounds, Zoe had a commanding lead and took 1st place! She made the finals!


Tuesday: Sugar Mouse & The Monster DYP

I decided we should start her training for the finals by throwing her off the deep end, the Monster DYP at Sugar Mouse. This turned out to be one of the biggest turnouts we've had in a while — almost 30 people. Mike Stahl, Jim, Arron, and Titos all showed up. It was a huge turnout.


Everybody was giving Zoe props and advice. It was probably a bit overwhelming, but she took it all in. This is what Foosball Clubs USA is building toward — events that pull kids into a real community, not just a competition. Seeing Zoe in that room, watching and learning from serious players was awesome.


Wednesday: Back to Work

We spent Wednesday training: singles zone, offense, and defense. I could see something shifting in how she was thinking about the game. She wasn't just reacting anymore — she was starting to play with strategy. Watching her improve right before my eyes was incredible.


Thursday: Gracie Mansion

Thanks to Mike or Jim, I'm not sure who, we got invited to Gracie Mansion to meet New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani with a few of the other qualifiers and the foosball team. To my surprise Brandon Munoz and Isbella Stelly were also there.


I'll be honest — this was my personal highlight of the week. Walking into Gracie Mansion with my daughter because of foosball is not something I ever pictured. Mike Stahl managed to get a few words in with the Mayor about foosball and what Foosball Clubs USA is doing for kids in New York. Watching Mike work — always advocating, always pushing the mission forward — was genuinely impressive.


I came into this week a little skeptical of Mike. I had heard the talk. But seeing him at Gracie Mansion, not there for himself but there to put foosball and kids in front of the Mayor of New York City? I gained newfound respect for him. He, also, had won 3 out of the 4 Tuesday night foosball tournaments at Sugar Mouse, which is also impressive. I think 5 is still the record :)


Zoe's take on Gracie Mansion? She was way more excited to hang out with Brandon Munoz than to meet the Mayor!


Friday: Finals Day

Eight finalists. $8,000 in educational grants. Xboxes and prizes on the line. All at a McDonald's in Midtown Manhattan.


I was excited, nervous, and anxious on the way there. But honestly, I already felt like we'd won. We got to meet the Mayor, Zoe spent a week playing and practicing, and she was genuinely excited about foosball — which was the whole point.


When we arrived, Zoe lit up seeing Brandon Munoz on a foosball table. He has a high-energy, fun style that draws everyone in — especially kids and families new to the sport. He is exactly the kind of ambassador foosball needs. Now Zoe is trying to learn an aerial, which is currently illegal.  


Zoe's first match: Christian, who had won the Brooklyn qualifier.


Game 1: Zoe wins 5–3. I'm on edge.


Game 2: Christian comes back hard, hacking the ball with everything he's got. He wins 5–0.


Game 3: Zoe jumps out to a 3–0 lead. Then Christian starts chipping away. Zoe accidentally scores on herself twice. It ends 5–3 Christian.


She lost, and I have never been more proud of her. Playing in front of an audience under real pressure for real stakes is no joke for anyone, let alone a kid who had barely played a week ago. She stuck to her strategy and fought hard. It could have gone either way.

The Real Prize

Mike Stahl, Jim Provost, Arron, Titos, and the whole crew ran an incredible event. The kids were engaged, competitive, and having fun. Mike kept the energy up all day and made every match feel like it mattered.


Mike's entire focus is on making Foosball Clubs USA work — not for himself, but for the kids, parents, and schools. He is getting foosball into communities that have never considered it before. He’s constantly encouraging, advocating, and showing up.


If Zoe sticks with foosball — and I really hope she will — I give that credit to Mike, Jim and the McDonald's Youth Series before anything else. That's worth more to me than any prize at the event.


Maybe next year!


Want Your Kids to Play?

The McDonald's New York Metro Foosball Youth Series is exactly what youth foosball in New York needed. If you've got kids and have been looking for a reason to introduce them to the sport, this is it.