Ethan Zohn believes soccer can heal the world

The greatest summer of our lives is here for soccer fans as the World Cup has been absolutely epic. For those throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, it has particularly been unlike anything we have ever experienced.

To be clear every World Cup is epic in its own ways. We are talking about the biggest sporting event that the world has to offer and all of the unifying power that it represents. You have literally people from across the globe uniting for a common event, obviously there are opposing interests from a gamesmanship perspective, and this residually offers an opportunity like no other to learn about different people and cultures.

Ethan Zohn, yes that Ethan Zohn, understands this better than anyone. Ethan is a lot of things so to say that he is a soccer aficionado is sort of under-selling things. Zohn is a Survivor winner, the co-founder of Grassroot Soccer (partly a result from his win), former professional soccer player, former professional soccer analyst, cancer survivor, and cannabis advocate. These things are only a few of the qualities that make up who he ultimately is, though.

Zohn is and has been marrying all of these things around the World Cup specifically. He has a new travel series, Kicking Back, that is highlighting communities across the country and show how different cultures are coming together through soccer.

The new series explores communities, culture, local businesses, food, sports, and the people shaping today’s lifestyle landscape. Rather than focusing solely on cannabis, the show highlights the stories, personalities and experiences that make each city unique.

Ethan is currently filming across the country, with stops including/that have included:

Boston

Philadelphia

New York (where there was a viewing party with Survivor Friends)  

Seattle

Atlanta

Kansas City (June 23,24,25)

TBD Los Angeles (June 26-27-28)

TBD Houston/Dallas June 29/30 or Houston July 4

TBD Miami July 11 

As noted local communities will be highlighted. Food, music, art, love of soccer… you name it and it will be noted.

Ethan is one of the more beloved players in Survivor history as indicated, and I personally am a massive fan of the show. Ethan’s original season was the first full one that I ever saw. It was on there, the season was filmed in Africa, where all of these intersections began for Ethan as he learned about the trials facing local children in the area. His winnings from the show helped make Grassroot Soccer possible, and his philanthropic spirit was born. The disposition that helped carry him to the win is one that he utilized in his battle against cancer, and it is one that he hopes to share with so many throughout this journey.

Here’s to soccer. Here’s to Kicking Back. Here’s to the World Cup. Here’s to Ethan Zohn. Here’s to Survivor.

Here’s to us all.