This month, we were excited to sit down with Laura and Roberto Balestrini and learn about American FootGolf League (AFGL). Founded in 2011, the American FootGolf League is the U.S. exclusive member of the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) and governing body for the sport of FootGolf in the United States of America since July 2012.
Laura and Roberto learned about FootGolf through a show that was broadcast from Argentina. They were playing FootGolf and interviewing a soccer player before a match. “They happened to have met the producer and announcer a few years before. Roberto and I called them up and the rest is history”, Laura recalls.
As president of the American FootGolf League, Laura is excited about the growth of America. “We are doing something that most people would never get an opportunity to do. We are introducing a new sport to America.”
The AFGL represented the United States at the first FootGolf World Cup in the beautiful city of Budapest, Hungary on June 2012, won the Team Category at the FIFG World Cup 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and received the Bronze Medal at the FIFG World Cup 2018 in Marrakesh. Morocco. Dedicated to promote and expand “The Best Game Ever Invented” in the region, the AFGL co-founded and established the other two FootGolf members of the Federation for International FootGolf in North America: the Federacion Mexicana de FootGolf, and the Canadian FootGolf Association. The main goal of the AFGL is to create the necessary structure to facilitate and promote the sport of FootGolf in the United States of America.
Laura has a passion for this new sport and talked about the challenges in creating awareness. “You have to do it for passion not money. You must love what you are doing because starting a new business is hard work. You will spend long hours, invest way more money than you ever thought you would need to, and will have pitfalls along the way. If you don’t believe in it and have passion to keep you going, you will fail.”
Laura is thankful for her virtual office with Fusion Workplaces Palm Desert. The virtual office is a great way to give your business the image of a larger business especially when you first get started. Laura continues, “You may be working from home or the road, but as far as the public knows, your address is that office. If visitors stop in, there is a receptionist, a lobby and several offices. It gives a good first impression. It is also comforting to know that when you need a conference room or a day office, you have it. Having someone trusted to handle your mail is also a big plus.”
To follow the growth of American FootGolf Leagues, connect on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also see the sport in action on YouTube.
If you are interested in a virtual office, visit here.