The Houstonians embody a different approach to organized sports groups. Founded in 1996, The Houstonians Soccer Club was the first inner-city program fully funded by the City of Houston. The Houstonians leadership was focused in retaining talented soccer players at all competitive youth levels. Concentrating on inner city talent, the objective of the club was to train kids in teamwork, competition and community service, so as to refrain from the daily encounters of street gangs, drugs, and crime.