Cody Kuge ‘20 doesn’t just love soccer, he sees it as a vehicle for building community.
Kuge, who played soccer for Chaminade while majoring in Business Administration, is founder and owner of Urban Soccer Hawaii—the state’s first club-neutral indoor soccer arena. Opening the business was a dream years in the making and he’s already looking ahead to new growth.
And while running a new enterprise is never easy, Kuge says all the hours of planning and preparation are worth it when he sees a group of young soccer players enjoying themselves on the field.
“My vision for this place is I want it to be a community center for soccer,” he said.
Kuge didn’t pick up soccer himself until he was a freshman in high school. Once he did, he was hooked. After switching from basketball, Kuge could be found on many afternoons in his backyard, honing his footwork. “I was a really late bloomer so I trained a lot,” he said.
Kuge, who graduated from Kaiser High School in East Honolulu, said he selected Chaminade because he wanted to remain in Hawai‘i and was looking for a college experience where he could build strong connections with his professors and peers, and not get lost in the crowd.
He also jumped at the opportunity to play as a Silversword for the men’s soccer team.
At Chaminade, Kuge also wanted to hone his business and leadership skills. His mother was an entrepreneur, running an innovative errand service for the elderly long before the advent of Uber Eats or Instacart. Kuge said he was eager to follow in her footsteps—and he’s done just that.
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In fact, while he was still a student at Chaminade, Kuge launched a small acai bowl business venture, tapping into an acai health craze. He also ran a wedding videography business himself. And while he was seeing success, he realized he was missing something important: Passion.
That’s how he arrived at Urban Soccer Hawaii—and a “crazy idea” to launch an indoor arena.
Kuge said the space was modeled after arena-style indoor soccer fields that he’d come across in Europe during travels to play the sport. His overall goal was to create an opportunity for enthusiasts of the sport—of all ages—to play in a fun, no-stress environment.
That’s why Urban Soccer Hawaii is club-neutral. Kuge said it was important to him to offer an opportunity for young people from across clubs to play with one another, whether to sharpen their skills or to just have some fun. Kuge also offers classes, private rentals, even space for parties.
Oh and the best part? Players can catch a game, regardless of the weather.
“The players, their parents, they just look happy here,” Kuge said. “That’s the point.”
